Print

Mail

wiki links

Vaccine limits pose risk: legislator

Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Legislator Yin Ling-ying (尹伶瑛), yesterday accused the Center for Disease Control (CDC) of giving mixed messages on flu vaccinations, as it has limited vaccinations for administrative staff this year to one staff member per clinic.

"While the CDC thinks it has a very strong strategy against the flu with the provision of anti-viral medication and the newest vaccines, the limitations they are placing on funding for vaccinating administrative staff in local clinics is a crucial flaw," Yin said at a press conference.

The new policy allows only one administrative staff member per clinic to be immunized, which contrasts with 2003 and last year when no limitations were placed on vaccinations for basic-level staff.

Chen Mong-hsiung (陳夢熊) a member of the Taiwan Medical Association criticized the limit.

"When have you ever seen one member of administrative staff at a clinic? One doctor, yes; but one administrative staff member -- impossible," Chen said.

Chen added that work for administration staff was often shift work, which meant that there were several members staff would be on duty every day.

According to Yin, the Taiwan Medical Association has visited the CDC on two separate occasions -- Sept. 7 and Sept. 23 -- to protest the cutback, but to no avail.

"If the CDC continues to be so stubborn and an irrevocable tragedy occurs, then they will have to be held responsible," Yin said.

In 2003 and last year, the rate of vaccination for staff in hospitals and clinics, as well as other health professionals, was 92.1 percent and 88.1 percent respectively.

This year, statistics from Yunlin County show that compared to 758 administrative staff who were immunized last year, only 298 have been registered to receive vaccines, or 39.3 percent of staff members.

While vaccinations are limited for basic-level staff in local clinics, there are no such limitations for administrative staff working in large hospitals.

Chen said that administrative staff in small-scale clinics were actually in more danger as they were in an open office, in direct contact with patients, compared with administrative staff in big hospitals, who work in separate rooms.

In response, the section head of the CDC, Chen Shu-fen (陳淑芳), who was also present at the press conference, said that, "Taking into account the government's means, our priority is to look after those who are in the first line of danger."

As no conclusion was reached yesterday, Yin requested that a meeting between the CDC and the Taiwan medical association take place within a week so that a new policy on vaccinations for basic-level staff can be negotiated.
This story has been viewed 1828 times.