General practitioners are threatening to withdraw from the State's primary immunisation scheme in March unless significant infrastructural resources are put in place.
Dr James Reilly, the chairman of the Irish Medical Organisation's GP committee, has warned: "GPs will not collude with Government in pretending there is a sustainable service which will deliver 95 per cent immunisation rates".
He added that the primary immunisation scheme - which includes the 3-in-1 vaccines given in the first year of life - is grossly underfunded. General practitioners have seen a significant increase in their workload with the introduction of the meningitis C vaccine. The measles epidemic has also created extra work, as did the preChristmas scare involving polio vaccines.
The IMO is calling for improved funding for extra nursing and administrative staff in general practice to help achieve satisfactory primary immunisation rates. At present, GPs receive a maximum grant of £15,000 per annum towards employing a practice nurse and £9,000 towards a secretary. However, actual salaries are £25,000 and £15,000 respectively.
Dr Reilly also criticised the poor quality of computerisation within the health service. "There are five to six different software packages in use in general practice. The health boards all have different systems in place. And each system does not appear to be able to co-operate with the other," he said.
Referring to the recent polio vaccine scare, he said that health boards were unable to tell patients if they had received the suspect vaccine, despite having been given the information by GPs.
"We badly need funding to remedy this lack of inter-computer co-operation," he added.
As an interim measure, GPs are seeking improved grants for administrative and infrastructural costs from the Department of Health if a March withdrawal from primary vaccination is to be avoided.
Meanwhile, Dr Reilly also criticised Government plans to extend the medical card scheme to all over-70s in the State, regardless of income. "We will not tolerate a situation where the wealthy avail of free medical care and those in need are left outside the system. In the interest of social justice the Government must extend GMS eligibility to those who need it most," he said.
IMO/Department of Health agreements allow for 40 per cent of the population to be covered by the medical card scheme. However, latest figures show only 30 per cent of people have medical cards under current income eligibility limits.
"Those in greatest need of medical care are in socioeconomic groups four and five and are just above the income limit for medical cards. As long as there are limited healthcare resources these people must be prioritised," Dr Reilly added.