Member for Roe Peter Rundle MLA has condemned the Cook Labor Government for refusing to add the meningococcal B vaccine to Western Australia’s free immunisation schedule, despite a shocking case involving a five-year-old Munglinup boy who nearly lost his life to the disease earlier this year.
Charlie Ware’s ordeal began with a 100-kilometre drive from Munglinup to Esperance Health Campus, followed by an urgent RFDS transfer to Perth. At Perth Children’s Hospital, he was placed in an induced coma for four days before beginning a long and painful recovery.
Charlie’s mother, Alyce, believes the entire ordeal could have been prevented had Charlie been vaccinated — a vaccine that is provided free of charge in Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory, but costs WA families around $130 per dose.
Mr Rundle said the Minister for Preventative Health’s answer in Parliament this week, refusing to commit to adding the vaccine to the schedule, was unacceptable.
“The Minister has refused to put the meningococcal B vaccine on the free schedule, even after a child almost died,” Mr Rundle said.
“This is not a statistic — this is a little boy who spent days in a coma, and no family should have to pay hundreds of dollars to protect their children from a life-threatening disease.”
In response to questions in Parliament, the Minister said only that the Department of Health would “continue to monitor the epidemiology” and pointed to existing coverage for Aboriginal and medically at-risk children under the National Immunisation Program.
Mr Rundle said this response shows the Government is unwilling to act.
“Meningococcal B strikes without warning and the consequences are catastrophic. Every child in WA deserves equal access to this vaccine — not just those who meet narrow eligibility criteria.”
Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam has called on the Cook Labor Government to immediately commit to funding the meningococcal B vaccine for all Western Australian children and teenagers.
“This is about prevention, fairness and saving lives,” she said. “The cost of inaction is far higher than the cost of protecting our kids.”