ALL babies in Wales are to receive a vaccination against meningitis B, after a uK-wide deal was struck between the nhs and GlaxosmithKline. The vaccination will be added to the national child immunisation programme in Wales, and £7.7m of funding has been made available to facilitate this. In 2014, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation advised that every child over two months old should be vaccinated against the disease, which is the leading infectious cause of death in children under 5 years old.
However, delays were caused due to negotiations over the cost of the vaccine with its previous owners Novartis. However, when GlaxoSmithKline acquired the vaccine, costs were reduced, and a deal was struck. The vaccine will be given at the age of two months, and will be followed by two further doses. The news was welcomed by the Welsh Government’s Health and Social Services Minister, Mark Drakeford: “These negotiations mean we have now secured a meningitis B vaccine which will benefit the health of all babies in Wales,” he said.
“Now a price has been agreed, we will work to make this vaccine available as soon as is practical.” There are over 1800 cases of meningitis in the UK every year, and while in most cases sufferers make a full recovery with treatment, it is fatal in around a tenth of cases. A quarter of survivors will also suffer life-changing injuries as a result of the disease, including amputation, epilepsy, learning difficulties or hearing impediments. Symptoms of the disease include: fever, with cold hands and feet; stiff neck and dislike of bright light; rapid breathing; vomiting; a rash; a bulging fontanelle; drowsiness, and convulsions. The Chief Executive of Meningitis Now, Sue Davie, encouraged the Welsh Government to act quickly in starting vaccinations.
Ms Davies said: “It’s great to see the Welsh Government taking steps to make this vaccine available and helping to protect the health of babies. We’d urge them to implement this programme as soon as possible, because any further delays will only mean more unnecessary deaths from this devastating disease. Now that we’ve come this far let’s take that final step. As the country’s biggest charity fighting the disease we stand ready to support the roll out in any way we can.”
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