AQW 29037/22-27


Mr Danny Donnelly
Alliance Party
East Antrim


Tabled Date: 20/06/2025
Answered On Date: 07/07/2025
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail (i) the estimated cost of delivering the gonorrhoea vaccination programme; (ii) the estimated cost to the health service of treating gonorrhoea cases, including cases of antibiotic resistance over the same period; and (iii) the rationale for proceeding with the programme given the reported vaccine efficacy of up to 40 per cent.


Answer:
The estimated cost of delivering the gonorrhoea vaccination programme in Northern Ireland is approximately £100,000.
Estimating the overall cost of treating gonorrhoea and its complications is complex, involving direct medical costs, lost productivity, and long-term healthcare needs. There were 1,208 cases of gonorrhoea recorded at sexual health clinics in Northern Ireland in 2024 which would have incurred costs for testing, treating, and tracking these infections.
Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to serious health complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and an increased risk of HIV transmission, which require more intensive and expensive medical interventions. The rise of drug-resistant strains of gonorrhoea also adds another layer of complexity to disease management and cost estimations. The British Association of Sexual health and HIV has estimated that the cost of treating an antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea infection is around six times higher than a standard gonorrhoea infection.
My Department follows the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), an independent expert scientific advisory committee which advises the UK health departments on vaccination and immunisation matters. JCVI considered the evidence presented in terms of programme cost-effectiveness and likely impact on gonorrhoea epidemiology. Based on this evidence JCVI recommended that a targeted programme should be initiated using the 4CMenB vaccine for the prevention of gonorrhoea in those who are considered to be at greatest risk of infection.
In Northern Ireland the vaccine will be offered to those considered to be at greatest risk, while they are attending Genito-urinary Medicine (GUM) clinics. Vaccination is expected to help reduce the chance of infection in those vaccinated as well as prevention of onward transmission, which in turn will reduce the use of antibiotics and reduce the potential future burden of antimicrobial resistance.