Victoria to offer free meningococcal B vaccines to Year 10 students

Victoria to offer free meningococcal B vaccines to Year 10 students

12 May 2026

The vaccine rollout will begin on 1 January 2027 and will be delivered through school immunisation programs, GPs, pharmacies, local council services and Aboriginal health services.

The program will run alongside the existing meningococcal ACWY vaccine already offered to Year 10 students under the National Immunisation Program.

Victoria Health Minister Harriet Shing said the program aims to better protect teenagers from meningococcal disease and improve vaccine access for families.

The RACGP welcomed the funding announcement but said more work is needed to make meningococcal B vaccination available nationally and for younger children.

RACGP Victoria Chair Dr Anita Muñoz said infants are also at high risk of meningococcal B, especially when starting daycare, and many families cannot afford the vaccine privately.

She said important vaccines should not depend on a family’s financial situation and called for stronger national support through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC).

Dr Muñoz also raised concerns about differences between state and national vaccine programs, saying these gaps can create confusion and unequal access for patients across Australia.

The announcement also highlighted the story of Ballarat mother Abby McGrath, whose daughter Emma-Kate died from meningococcal disease in 2017 at the age of 19.

Since then, Ms McGrath has continued to advocate for greater awareness and vaccine access through her organisation, 4EK, in memory of her daughter.

 
https://www1.racgp.org.au/

Source: newsGP

Categories

Popular Posts

Recent Posts

Tags