NOTED local doctor, Richard O’Flaherty, has, following an exclusive interview with the Limerick Post two weeks ago, prompted general practitioners in Dublin to offer 300 schoolgirls the cervical cancer vaccine for free. His campaign is now likely to go nationwide.
Within days of this newspaper’s page one story, which revealed Dr. O’Flaherty’s gesture to offer the vaccine to patients free of charge, a team of businessmen, led by Fine Gael TD James Reilly, followed his lead in purchasing enough vaccines to immunise 300 twelve year old girls in North County Dublin.
The Limerick doctor was invited as a guest on the Ray D’Arcy TODAY FM radio show on Tuesday morning.
During the interview, he was lauded by the presenter for giving his time and money selflessly to this worthy cause.
After the interview, Dr. O’Flaherty was contacted by the drug company who produce the vaccine and they offered to reduce the cost of the drug from 139 euro to 115 euro to pharmacists.
The drug company also promised that if the free vaccine programme became national, the cost would be slashed to 100 euro. Three of these vaccines must be administered to each young girl to complete the vaccination process.
Speaking about the move made by TD James Reilly, Dr. O’Flaherty responded: “It is always good news to hear that more young girls are gaining the opportunity to be vaccinated against this disease.
“Others are clearly following our initiative. However, plans for our own vaccination programme will be on a larger, ongoing scale”.
Dr. O’Flaherty was delighted with the reaction he received from The Post article, and received positive feedback from all around the country.
“I have had calls from Cork, Tipperary, Galway, Carlow and beyond, in response, from people looking to donate to the scheme.
“We have further good news in that we have almost certainly achieved charitable status for the fund. If this status is gained, those who donate can claim half back in tax rebate. It will also mean that we will be able to purchase a larger number of vaccines”.
Dr. O’Flaherty is sure that after the groundwork is done, the programme will be taken over by the Health Board.
“I am 100 per cent certain that the organisation will be taken over by the Health Board after a few years. Those who are vaccinated are currently being registered with the Board”.
The doctor concluded: “ I feel I should give something back to society”.
