Tuesday, 20 February 2024

Meningococcal B vaccination

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (18:49): (706) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Health, and it is in relation to meningococcal B vaccination. I have raised this issue on two previous occasions over the last two years, and I am yet again calling on the government to add this vaccination to Victoria’s immunisation schedule to protect those most at risk from this devastating disease. There is a particular cohort – obviously babies, young people, adolescents and young adults – very much at risk. Recently I had a conversation with Paul Wright, whose 18-year-old son Lachy has been in the media recently owing to his very significant case of meningococcal, which was just an absolute living nightmare for the entire family. Lachy nearly died from meningococcal B, which started with mild symptoms, including a sore throat. Lachy’s condition deteriorated rapidly within two days. He was placed in a coma and given a slim chance of survival. Fortunately for Lachy he survived and is on the path to recovery, albeit with months of rehabilitation and having had that dreadful experience just a few months ago.

Lachy’s ordeal was preventable, with a vaccine available for this awful illness, yet many people do not know about the gap in immunisation coverage for meningococcal. Strains A, C, W and Y are provided for free under the Commonwealth’s national immunisation program, while meningococcal B is only free for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and people with certain medical conditions. I know the government has written to the Wrights and explained that meningococcal B is funded through the NIP, the program I have just mentioned, but that is not good enough. We need to be doing more because of what is happening with the rise of meningococcal disease in the community. There is a cost of around $240 for two required doses plus out-of-pocket consultation fees when somebody goes to ask for a meningococcal vaccine, so there are real barriers. This awful disease could be prevented if this vaccine was provided as other vaccinations are in this state. As we know, vaccination is the best way to prevent some of these awful diseases such as meningococcal B.

I could say more, but South Australia has been funding meningococcal B for babies at 12 months and teenagers since 2018, and I have raised that before in the house around what is happening around the country and in other states. It has resulted in a 60 per cent reduction in meningococcal B cases for the infant age group and a 73 per cent drop in cases for adolescents in the program’s first two years, so it is having results. Lachy’s family are calling on the Victorian government to do more, and the action I seek therefore is for the minister to take this request of the Wright family seriously, to speak with her federal colleagues if need be and put meningococcal B vaccination onto the vaccination program here in Victoria.