[attach id=249200 size="medium"]The Government says immunisation is one of the primary pillars of a solid healthcare system. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli[/attach]

The pneumococcal vaccine against meningitis, septicaemia and pneumonia, which was considered for inclusion in the list of free vaccines for children by the past administration, will be left on the shelf due to lack of funds.

However, Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia said the Government was considering including the meningitis C vaccine to the national programme. He did not elaborate on the cost involved.

Disease prevention, he stressed, was the key to public health and, last year, 15,000 boys and girls were inoculated through the national immunisation programme which offers 10 free vaccines.

Dr Farrugia said immunisation was one of the primary pillars of a solid healthcare system as it played a vital role in preventing disease and saving lives.

He was yesterday speaking at the Floriana health centre as Malta joined other European countries in observing the European Immunisation Week with the slogan: Protect, Nurture, Immunise.

The Government offers free vaccination services to children (scheduled vaccination and the obligatory jabs for polio, diphtheria and tetanus); employees at risk; contacts (exposure to tuberculosis and hepatitis); and international travellers (such as missionaries).

In February, an additional vaccine was added to the national immunisation schedule – the human papilloma virus (HPV). The costly jab is given for free to 12-year-old girls to prevent cervical cancer. So far, 80 per cent of the girls who received requests to take the injection turned up at the health centres.

Overall, 80,000 doses of different vaccines were given to children aged between 16 weeks and 16 years last year. A further 1,500 adults were jabbed before travelling abroad.

A further 80,000 doses of the influenza vaccine were administered last year.

Dr Farrugia said there were two aspects to immunisation: promotion and operation. He added that the Government was trying to promote the preventive aspect, which ultimately rendered the vaccinations as cost-effective measures by impeding diseases and maintaining a person’s wellbeing.

Nine health centres are spread throughout Malta. The Mosta health centre, which was closed due to extensive works, was reopened yesterday and all services may be sought from the newly refurbished premises.