The Department of Health is to launch a new national program to vaccinate Australian teenagers against meningococcal disease for free.
Announcing the program, Minister for Health, Greg Hunt said more than one million 14-to-19 year olds would receive the meningococcal A, C, W and Y vaccine over the next four years.
Mr Hunt said it would be added to the National Immunisation Program from April 2019 and be provided to students aged 14 to 16,s under a school based program.
“Adolescents aged 15-to-19 years of age, who have not already received the vaccine in school, will be able to receive the vaccine through an ongoing GP based catch up program,” Mr Hunt said.
He said meningococcal was a rare but very serious infection that occurred when meningococcal bacteria from the throat or nose invaded the body.
“The consequences were devastating for individuals and their families,” he said.
“In recent years we have seen a rise in the number of invasive meningococcal disease cases in Australia.
He said that in 2017 there were 382 cases reported nationally compared with 252 cases in 2016 and 182 in 2015.
“Deaths associated with meningococcal disease have also risen with 28 deaths in 2017 compared with 11 deaths in 2016 and 12 deaths in 2015.”
Mr Hunt said the program followed a recommendation from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) to list the meningococcal A, C, W and Y vaccine for adolescents.
