§ Mr. Hunterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the 16 countries where yellow fever is endemic and for which a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is an essential requirement for entry.
§ Mr. John PattenThe countries concerned, which are listed in the Department's leaflet SA35 "Protect your health abroad"—a copy of which is in the Library—are Benin, Bolivia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gambia, French Guiana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Uganda, and Upper Volta. In 14 of these countries yellow fever vaccination is not required for a child under one year old, in five it is not required for travellers arriving from a non-infected area and staying less than two weeks, and in one the requirement relates only to a part of the country.
§ Mr. Hunterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if there are any countries where yellow fever is not endemic but which nevertheless have a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever as an essential requirement for entry.
§ Mr. John PattenYes. A number of countries where the mosquito vector is present but where yellow fever is not regarded as endemic, require travellers over one year of age coming from infected areas to be in possession of a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. Details of the vaccination requirements of individual countries are contained in the World Health Organisation publication "Vaccination Certificate Requirements for International' Travel and Health Advice to Travellers 1984"—a copy of which is in the Library.
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§ Mr. Hunterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his answer of 16 May, if he will specify the characteristics of certain yellow fever vaccines which make them less stable than other types of vaccine.
§ Mr. John PattenYellow fever vaccine contains a live virus, and the World Health Organisation requires precautions involving the storage of the vaccine at the correct temperature to be taken in all countries to ensure its effectiveness and stability.
§ Mr. Hunterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to enable general practitioners to store and administer yellow fever vaccines under strict control.
§ Mr. John PattenInternational Health Regulations approved by the World Health Assembly do not preclude the possibility of general practitioners being designated as yellow fever vaccination centres by their appropriate national health authority. All applications in this country for designation as a yellow fever vaccination centre in accordance with these regulations are considered on their merits, having regard to the views of the appropriate district health authority. The procedures and criteria here for designation of yellow fever vaccination centres are under continuing review.
§ Mr. Hunterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the internationally agreed standards for vaccination against yellow fever which are prescribed in international health regulations.
§ Mr. John PattenInternational health regulations prescribe that the yellow fever vaccine used must be approved by the World Health Organisation; that the vaccination centre must have been designated by the health administration for the territory in which it is situated, and that the organisation shall be assured that the vaccines used for this purpose continue to be of suitable quality.
About 150 countries, including the United Kingdom, have agreed to be bound by these regulations.