Swine flu budget 'not enough'

Published Friday, 23 October 2009

The Health Minister has said his department was coping with the swine flu pandemic, despite a warning from the Chief Medical Officer that Northern Ireland was facing the most difficult winter in years.

Michael McGimpsey's comments came after the grim assessment by Dr Michael McBride during an emergency meeting with the Stormont Health Committee on Thursday.

According to the Department of Health, up to 42,000 people could become ill in the peak week of the pandemic in Northern Ireland with nearly 1000 of those people requiring hospital treatment.

A swine flu vaccination programme for children with complex special needs began on Thursday, following the deaths of three more people from illnesses related to the virus.

Speaking on UTV Live Tonight, Mr McGimpsey said that while his budget wasn't large enough, the situation was being managed well.

"It's not enough, but we are managing at the moment and we will continue to manage as far as we can," he said.

"I have the vaccines ordered and in place and paying for them as we go. All the other measures that we've taken, we've had to pay for."

Comments

1 Comments

Phyllis Mooney in Belfast wrote (944 days ago):

Michael McGimpsey should ask those who work/or are financially secure enough to pay for the swine flu jab. I would have no objection whatsoever in paying.