Author: Fergal Bowers
A new report has highlighted the significant benefits of adult vaccination in Ireland. If fully implemented, four vaccination programs could prevent 1,400 deaths, over 73,700 hospitalizations, and 376,000 disease cases, over an estimated 19-year period. The report, titled “Value of Adult Vaccination in Ireland,” focuses on immunization programs for influenza, pneumococcal disease, respiratory syncytial virus, and herpes zoster. Commissioned by GSK and conducted by the Office for Health Economics in the UK, the report emphasizes that for every €1 spent on these vaccinations, there could be a return of up to €23 to society. The study evaluates the benefits of…
A recent report by the Society of Actuaries in Ireland has shed light on the impact of the pandemic on mortality rates in the country during 2020 and 2021. The analysis indicates that Ireland experienced around 1,100 excess deaths during this period, with 2021 showing an increase in excess mortality compared to the previous year. Government restrictions implemented in 2020 are seen as a contributing factor to lower excess deaths during that year. Excess mortality is defined as the variance between observed and expected deaths, with calculations reliant on past experience and professional judgement. While the report provides valuable numerical…
The new National Paediatric Hospital in Ireland is set to be a world-class, mostly digital facility serving children and supporting parents for the next 100 years. However, it has become a symbol of mismanagement, delays, and soaring costs in national public projects. Originally proposed in 1993, the hospital faced setbacks including a planning permission refusal in 2012 before finally settling on a location at the St James’s Hospital campus. Construction began in 2016 with an initial estimated cost of €650 million, which has now ballooned to over €2.5 billion. Despite hopes for completion in 2022, delays, cost overruns, and design…
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, pledges full implementation of safe staffing in emergency departments, addressing challenges at University Hospital Limerick, Galway, and Cork. Despite increased attendances, overall reduction in patients on trolleys reported. Investment and reform in emergency departments are a top priority for the minister, with a review into potential need for a second emergency department in the Mid West region underway. Notably, nearly 10,000 more nurses and midwives have been employed, bringing the total number on the register to over 80,000, a record high. However, INMO President Karen McGowan expresses concern over the staff recruitment pause impacting safe…