HC Deb 09 November 1988 vol 140 c218W
Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doses of the measle mumps rubella vaccine were available in each district health authority to coincide with the launch of the measles mumps rubella immunisation campaign by his Department on 1 October; and why clinics in the Tower Hamlets district health authority have had to refuse vaccinations to four to five-year-olds.

Mrs. Currie

District health authorities obtain supplies of the vaccine from some 250 nominated ordering points. By 1 October each ordering point had available an average of 1,080 doses, and a minimum of 270 doses, with 300,000 doses available in total. Further supplies continue to be distributed on a regular basis. We are still on target to distribute one million doses by Christmas. Because of local uncertainty about supplies Tower Hamlets district health authority decided to defer its programme for four to five-year-olds for a short period. It now plans to resume this programme in January 1989 and supply is matching its capacity to use the vaccine.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to ensure that adequate supplies of measles mumps rubella vaccine are supplied to district health authorities to meet the demands created by the measles mumps rubella immunisation campaign launched by his Department on 1 October.

Mrs. Currie

I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 31 October to my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Hicks) at column491.

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