Northern Ireland

Cross-party letter sent to Chief Medical Officer calling for introduction of 'Strep B' test

Brendan Maguire and Susan Ho-Maguire spoke about the importance of screening for Group B Strep infection after losing their baby, Hollie, three years ago
Brendan Maguire and Susan Ho-Maguire spoke about the importance of screening for Group B Strep infection after losing their baby, Hollie, three years ago Brendan Maguire and Susan Ho-Maguire spoke about the importance of screening for Group B Strep infection after losing their baby, Hollie, three years ago

POLITICIANS have sent a joint letter to Northern Ireland's chief medical officer calling for the introduction of a screening programme to detect a killer infection in new-born babies.

The cross-party letter issued to Dr Michael McBride asks for routine ante-natal screening for Group-B Streptococcus - which is available to pregnant women in other parts of the NHS.

The move follows an inquest into the death of Hollie Maguire, who died shortly after birth at the Royal Victoria Jubilee Maternity in Belfast three years ago after contracting congenital pneumonia linked to the infection.

Hollie's parents, Dunmurry couple Brendan and Susan Maguire, made an appeal outside the inquest hearing last month to bring in a simple test to detect the mostly "avoidable" infection.

"It is unacceptable that a baby born in Northern Ireland has a higher chance of developing Group B Strep infection than a baby born elsewhere," Mr Maguire said at the time.

He welcomed the cross-party letter, saying he hoped it would help towards saving lives.

Between 400 to 500 babies are born in the UK each year with Group-B Strep.

While most will recover, it can lead to pneumonia, meningitis and blood poisoning if left untreated.