Sir, I was interested to read a call from Philip Boxberger (December 15th) for interested parties to come together in open forum to debate his worries concerning childhood vaccinations. Perhaps Mr Boxberger might consider inviting the mayor of Chajul, a thinly populated part of Northern Guatemala, to attend. As I write, an epidemic of whopping cough is sweeping this area at a cost of 42 lives so far, most of them children. The mayor, Mr Manuel Asciona, has pleaded for government help and is quoted as saying that "the health situation in Chajul is a disaster because there are no vaccinations, no medicines and no health personnel." Had Mr Asciona less on his mind, he might make a very public contribution to what Mr Boxberger terms "this less publicised area of medicine". - Yours, etc.,
Perrystown Family Practice, Whitehall Road West, Dublin 12.
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