Opposition renews calls to fund meningococcal B vaccine as WA hits seven cases of deadly disease

The Opposition has renewed calls to fund the meningococcal B vaccine after six of seven recorded cases of the deadly disease this year were identified as the strain.

The latest case of the uncommon but life-threatening bacterial infection, diagnosed in a child who is now recovering in hospital, brought the total in line with the State’s five-year average.

It prompted shadow health minister Libby Mettam to urge the Minister for Preventative Health to consider a free vaccination program for MenB in Budget Estimates on Wednesday.

A combined vaccine for A, C, W and Y strains is free via the National Immunisation Program for all children aged 12 months, but the immunisation to protect against the B strain is not.

Immunising against MenB is currently a costly exercise in WA with two doses of the jab costing between $320 to $350.

It is only free for First Nations children and other children with specified conditions.

When urged to consider a free vaccination program in Budget Estimates, Preventative Health Minister Sabine Winton said WA Health were closely monitoring cases.

“The Department of Health and the Communicable Disease Control Directorate closely monitor all those serious notifiable diseases, including meningococcal,” she said.

“They continue to provide advice to ministers, including me, regarding the requirements relating to meningococcal B and other strains.

“I will continue to monitor the trends in relation to MenB and seek advice from experts around Western Australia’s future response.”

WA Department of Health director-general Shirley Bowen said a vaccination program would be considered if there were clusters of MenB in the community.

“Seven is a number that concerns us definitely,” she said.

“We have a very active and watching brief on this situation and we will consider it at any time should we see significant clusters of meningococcal B occurring.

“At the moment, we are not seeing significant clusters. We are just seeing the occasional case but we definitely recognise it is an important and preventable disease and we will continue to watch it actively.”

At a press conference on Tuesday, Ms Mettam said the strain B vaccine “represents extraordinary bang for buck because it ultimately saves lives”.

“Meningococcal B is a serious life threatening condition but there is a way to prevent it and that is through the roll out of a free vaccination, something that we have seen in other states,” she said.

“The Cook Labor government can do this.”

Meningitis Centre chief executive Karen Quick backed the call for MenB vaccinations to be made free.

“South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory have all gone ahead as they’re not prepared to take a gamble with their children’s lives,” she said.

“Western Australia can do exactly the same thing. It’s not fair, it’s not equitable that the states across our borders get vaccinated and yet our children here in WA don’t.

“Vaccines are no good sitting on shelves. They need to be in our children’s arms to protect them.”