Poliomyelitis (Hansard, 23 May 1977)

§ Mr. Carter-Jones
asked the Minister of Overseas Development, in view of the prevalence of polio in many developing countries, what information she has regarding research into the development of a polio vaccine which it not affected by climatic conditions.

§ Mr. Tomlinson
My Ministry does not currently support such research, but consideration is being given to providing help for work on the so-called "cold chain", to improve the methods and equipment used to deliver vaccines in good condition to rural areas of developing countries. I understand that the World Health Organisation is in the early stages of investigating the possibilities of producing "heat stable" poliomyelitis and measles vaccines.

§ Mr. Carter-Jones
asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is her estimate of the number of children throughout the world who caught polio in the last year for which figures are available.

§ Mr. Tomlinson
Although my Ministry has no responsibility for world medical statistics I understand that, according to the records of the World Health Organisation, a world total of 8,692 new cases of poliomyelitis was reported in 1974 and that these related almost entirely to children. The WHO is expected to publish within a few weeks figures of reported new cases of poliomyelitis in 1975.
374W
the final offer made by the Northern Ireland Office.

§ Mr. Concannon
The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The information shown below is, however, available for the Londonderry city area for the last five financial years:

§ Mr. Carter-Jones
asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is her estimate of the percentage of the child population in developing countries which contract polio.

§ Mr. Tomlinson
Although my Ministry has no responsibility for medical statistics concerning the developing world, I understand that the World Health Organisation has recently estimated that the incidence of paralytic poliomyelitis in schoolchildren in developing countries is about 1 per cent. Our aid programme includes provision of £300,000 during the financial years 1976–77 to 1978–79 inclusive towards the WHO's expanded programme of immunisation, which includes immunisation against poliomyelitis.