Victoria’s Meningococcal B Vaccine Initiative
The Victorian government has announced a significant step in its efforts to combat meningococcal disease by funding free meningococcal B vaccines for teenagers. This decision has sparked a mix of relief and frustration among families who have lost loved ones to the deadly infection.
Under the new initiative, $9 million will be allocated to add the B strain to the existing meningococcal A, C, W, and Y vaccines available for Year 10 students through the National Immunisation Program. Meningococcal B is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can lead to severe complications or even death within 24 hours. According to data from the Australian Meningococcal Surveillance Programme, it is now the dominant form of meningococcal disease in Australia, responsible for around 80% of cases.
Several other Australian states and territories, including Queensland, South Australia, and the Northern Territory, already offer free meningococcal B vaccines for teenagers and infants. Tasmania will also join this initiative starting in July this year. With Victoria’s recent announcement, New South Wales and Western Australia remain the only jurisdictions yet to provide state-funded access to the vaccine.
Meningococcal B vaccines are currently available via private prescription for infants and teenagers, but they require multiple doses at a cost of approximately $140 per jab. While the Victorian government’s decision is a positive development, it has faced criticism for its limited scope. The $9 million commitment is only funded for a single year, and unlike programs in South Australia and Queensland, it does not include infants, who are among the most vulnerable groups.
Melbourne mother Norliah Syer-Peterson has been a passionate advocate for the meningococcal B vaccine since her 16-year-old son, Levi, died last September. Levi was a healthy Year 10 student who went from having gastro-like symptoms in the morning to passing away within 12 hours. In December, Syer-Peterson presented a petition with over 41,000 signatures to parliament, urging the government to fund the meningococcal B vaccine.
Syer-Peterson expressed relief that other teenagers might now be protected, even though it was too late for her son. She emphasized that the legacy of her “beautiful, caring, fun-loving, sporty, funny, and kind-hearted boy” would continue through the Victorian Government’s decision. However, she stressed the need for free vaccines for infants in Victoria and vowed to continue campaigning for the vaccine to be funded across all states.
The push for a national solution faced a major setback in March when the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) rejected a proposal to include the B strain vaccine on the National Immunisation Program for all infants and teens. Although the PBAC acknowledged the clinical need and effectiveness of the vaccine, it argued that the evidence did not justify the cost of a nationwide rollout, citing the rarity of the disease despite its catastrophic potential.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is now urging the NSW Government to urgently fund meningococcal B (MenB) vaccines as part of its immunisation program. RACGP NSW Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman emphasized that protecting children should not depend on a family’s income or postcode. “Vaccination saves lives,” she said, highlighting the progress made in other states like Queensland, South Australia, the NT, and recently, Victoria.
New South Wales mother Stacey Chater lost her son Brayden to a meningococcal B infection in November 2022. Brayden was a fit 23-year-old from Dapto who “lit up a room,” but his life was cut short when he arrived at Wollongong Hospital already brain-dead from the infection. Chater has spent three years campaigning for NSW Health Minister Ryan Park to fund the B strain vaccine, but she said her pleas have gone unanswered.
“It’s so infuriating,” she said. “I just feel like I’m being ignored and it doesn’t make sense to me. It’s really a no-brainer.” Despite meeting with the minister and delivering thousands of signed letters to his office, Chater said there had been no progress in NSW. “New South Wales is looked upon as probably the leading state of Australia, so it’s very, very disappointing.”
Chater’s message for Park is clear: “Get on board, save our kids’ lives and just come in line with the rest of Australia.” A NSW Health spokesperson stated that the rate of invasive meningococcal disease remains low. “NSW Health continues to closely monitor the pattern of meningococcal B disease in NSW and respond based on the best available evidence, and emerging program developments in other jurisdictions,” the spokesperson said.
People who are at increased risk due to certain medical conditions, as well as Aboriginal babies, are eligible for free meningococcal B vaccines under the National Immunisation Program.
