GPs leading Meningococcal B vaccine rollout

A total of 17,815 doses of meningococcal B vaccine have been administered to Queensland infants and children under two, and teenagers aged 15 to 19 years under the state-funded program, with the vast majority (10,500) in general practice.

“AMA Queensland extends a big thank you to the dedicated GPs and general practice nurses across our state for their contribution in administering a significant number of vaccines as part of this free rollout,” AMA Queensland President Dr Maria Boulton said.

“As GPs, we prioritise preventative healthcare, so it has been fantastic to see so many proactive parents bring their children in to get vaccinated against Meningococcal B.

“When it comes to getting vaccinated, we know that cost is a large factor for many parents, and this free rollout is going to save the lives of so many children.

“We commend the Queensland Government for heeding our calls to make the Meningococcal B vaccine free. It makes no sense that the A, C, W and Y strain vaccines are free under that National Immunisation Program (NIP) but the B strain vaccine is not.

“AMA Queensland has been calling for the Meningococcal B vaccine to be added to the free National Immunisation Program since 2017 and we hope the Federal Government will follow Queensland's lead.

“We remain in support of this rollout and continue to encourage all parents to take advantage of this free vaccination to protect their children from the potentially deadly infection.

“AMA Queensland looks forward to continuing working alongside Queensland Health and all healthcare workers to ensure access to vital health care for all Queensland patients.

MEDIA NOTE: Dr Boulton and AMA Queensland Vice President Dr Nick Yim are available for further comment at 12pm Wednesday 20 March at Family Doctors Plus, Windsor, where a teenager will be receiving the Meningococcal B vaccine.

Background:

• AMA Queensland and the Federal Government’s expert advisory body on immunisations, ATAGI, have been calling for the Meningococcal B vaccine to be added to the National Immunisation Program for more than six years.   
• Vaccines for the A, C, W and Y strains have long been available free, but not the B strain vaccine.
• In August 2023, the Queensland Government announced the rollout of the free Meningococcal B vaccine for infants and older teenagers.
• Queensland’s rollout began a month ahead of schedule on 1 March 2024.
• The B strain vaccine has not yet been added to the National Immunisation Program.
• Meningococcal B is the most common strain in Australia accounting for 83 per cent of all Meningococcal cases in 2022.
• Compared to 2021, the number of reported Meningococcal cases increased by 81 per cent to 127 in 2022.