Welcome uptake in free NT meningococcal B vaccine

Just weeks after the Northern Territory Government announced meningococcal B vaccines would be made free for its infants and adolescents, almost 1300 patients have taken up the offer.
 
Under the program, the vaccine was made free from 1 January 2025 for infants aged six weeks to 12 months and for Year 9 students.
 
The subsidy will remain in place until 31 December 2026 as part of a two-year catch-up program for children aged 12 months to two years, and teenagers aged 15–19 years.
 
The program’s success comes as the RACGP continues to call for meningococcal B vaccines to be subsidised, with its most recent advocacy being for the vaccine to be made free for every child aged two and under and every teen aged 15–19 in New South Wales.
 
In the six weeks since the Northern Territory’s program launched, 1298 young locals have received the free vaccine, with 1193 of these being infants aged between six weeks and two years.
 
Additionally, 105 adolescents aged between 14 and 19 years have accessed the vaccine ahead of the start of the 2025 School Immunisation Program.
 
Year 9 students will receive the vaccine as part of the school immunisations schedule, with a catch-up program to be provided in schools later in the year for students in Years 10, 11 and 12.
 
Northern Territory Health Minister Steve Edgington said it is ‘fantastic to see such a strong uptake already’.
 
‘Around 4200 babies and 18,500 adolescents across the Territory are eligible to access the free vaccine and I hope every eligible Territory family will access this vital protection for free,’ he said.
 
‘This initiative delivers on our promise to ensure Territory families have access to vital protection against meningococcal B and to also help ease the cost of living for families.’
 
Nationwide, a meningococcal B vaccine is free under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged two months, four months, six months and 12 months, and patients aged two months or older with certain medical conditions.
 
Access to a meningococcal ACWY vaccine is much broader, with a vaccination free under the NIP for children aged 12 months, adolescents aged 14–16 years, and patients aged two months or older with certain medical conditions.

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meningococcal B National Immunisation Program Northern Territory vaccine