
Heartbroken mum urges free vaccines for deadly disease
Meningococcal B is the leading strain of the disease in Australia, accounting for five in six cases in 2022.
But families trying to protect key groups - young children and adolescents - need to fork out about $270 for the two-dose vaccine in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia.
Without it, the disease kills about one in 10 and leaves one-in-four survivors with permanent complications.
Research has also found the jab can reduce gonorrhoea cases in teenagers, an antibiotic-resistant infection that can cause infertility.
With the NSW budget on the horizon, Stacey Charter pleaded with state leaders to ensure other families do not experience the heartache she felt after losing her son to the fast-moving disease.
Days before Christmas in 2022, Stacey noticed her son Brayden was feeling unwell and two hours later she found him convulsing and unresponsive.
Despite being rushed to hospital, the 23-year-old was declared brain-dead later that night.
"No parent should have to endure what we have," Ms Charter said.
"Brayden's death could have been prevented.
"That's why I am pleading with the Minns government and (Health Minister) Ryan Park to act before another family is left heartbroken. I simply don't understand why they won't listen."
The meningococcal B jab is free for First Nations children before their first birthday and people with certain medical conditions under the national immunisation program
But all babies and teens can access it for free under state-funded programs in Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland.
Meningitis Centre Australia said NSW needed to follow suit and make preventative health a priority.
It says a NSW program would cost an estimated $20 million per year.
"We are on the brink of peak season; we must act now before any other family is impacted," chief executive Karen Quick said.
NSW lower-house independent MPs, opposition health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane and the Greens also back the call for free vaccines.
A government spokesman said it would respond based on the evidence available, with figures showing only one in every 200,000 NSW residents contracted the disease each year.
NSW's health minister had asked federal counterpart Mark Butler to consider including the meningococcal B vaccine in the National Immunisation Program, he said.
About 135 Australians contracted all forms of meningococcal disease in 2024, with 46 cases reported this year, the National Communicable Disease Surveillance Dashboard shows.
A grieving parent is urging states to act quickly and help stop a fatal yet preventable disease by making vaccines free.
Meningococcal B is the leading strain of the disease in Australia, accounting for five in six cases in 2022.
But families trying to protect key groups - young children and adolescents - need to fork out about $270 for the two-dose vaccine in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia.
Without it, the disease kills about one in 10 and leaves one-in-four survivors with permanent complications.
Research has also found the jab can reduce gonorrhoea cases in teenagers, an antibiotic-resistant infection that can cause infertility.
With the NSW budget on the horizon, Stacey Charter pleaded with state leaders to ensure other families do not experience the heartache she felt after losing her son to the fast-moving disease.
Days before Christmas in 2022, Stacey noticed her son Brayden was feeling unwell and two hours later she found him convulsing and unresponsive.
Despite being rushed to hospital, the 23-year-old was declared brain-dead later that night.
"No parent should have to endure what we have," Ms Charter said.
"Brayden's death could have been prevented.
"That's why I am pleading with the Minns government and (Health Minister) Ryan Park to act before another family is left heartbroken. I simply don't understand why they won't listen."
The meningococcal B jab is free for First Nations children before their first birthday and people with certain medical conditions under the national immunisation program
But all babies and teens can access it for free under state-funded programs in Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland.
Meningitis Centre Australia said NSW needed to follow suit and make preventative health a priority.
It says a NSW program would cost an estimated $20 million per year.
"We are on the brink of peak season; we must act now before any other family is impacted," chief executive Karen Quick said.
NSW lower-house independent MPs, opposition health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane and the Greens also back the call for free vaccines.
A government spokesman said it would respond based on the evidence available, with figures showing only one in every 200,000 NSW residents contracted the disease each year.
NSW's health minister had asked federal counterpart Mark Butler to consider including the meningococcal B vaccine in the National Immunisation Program, he said.
About 135 Australians contracted all forms of meningococcal disease in 2024, with 46 cases reported this year, the National Communicable Disease Surveillance Dashboard shows.
A grieving parent is urging states to act quickly and help stop a fatal yet preventable disease by making vaccines free.
Meningococcal B is the leading strain of the disease in Australia, accounting for five in six cases in 2022.
But families trying to protect key groups - young children and adolescents - need to fork out about $270 for the two-dose vaccine in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia.
Without it, the disease kills about one in 10 and leaves one-in-four survivors with permanent complications.
Research has also found the jab can reduce gonorrhoea cases in teenagers, an antibiotic-resistant infection that can cause infertility.
With the NSW budget on the horizon, Stacey Charter pleaded with state leaders to ensure other families do not experience the heartache she felt after losing her son to the fast-moving disease.
Days before Christmas in 2022, Stacey noticed her son Brayden was feeling unwell and two hours later she found him convulsing and unresponsive.
Despite being rushed to hospital, the 23-year-old was declared brain-dead later that night.
"No parent should have to endure what we have," Ms Charter said.
"Brayden's death could have been prevented.
"That's why I am pleading with the Minns government and (Health Minister) Ryan Park to act before another family is left heartbroken. I simply don't understand why they won't listen."
The meningococcal B jab is free for First Nations children before their first birthday and people with certain medical conditions under the national immunisation program
But all babies and teens can access it for free under state-funded programs in Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland.
Meningitis Centre Australia said NSW needed to follow suit and make preventative health a priority.
It says a NSW program would cost an estimated $20 million per year.
"We are on the brink of peak season; we must act now before any other family is impacted," chief executive Karen Quick said.
NSW lower-house independent MPs, opposition health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane and the Greens also back the call for free vaccines.
A government spokesman said it would respond based on the evidence available, with figures showing only one in every 200,000 NSW residents contracted the disease each year.
NSW's health minister had asked federal counterpart Mark Butler to consider including the meningococcal B vaccine in the National Immunisation Program, he said.
About 135 Australians contracted all forms of meningococcal disease in 2024, with 46 cases reported this year, the National Communicable Disease Surveillance Dashboard shows.
A grieving parent is urging states to act quickly and help stop a fatal yet preventable disease by making vaccines free.
Meningococcal B is the leading strain of the disease in Australia, accounting for five in six cases in 2022.
But families trying to protect key groups - young children and adolescents - need to fork out about $270 for the two-dose vaccine in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia.
Without it, the disease kills about one in 10 and leaves one-in-four survivors with permanent complications.
Research has also found the jab can reduce gonorrhoea cases in teenagers, an antibiotic-resistant infection that can cause infertility.
With the NSW budget on the horizon, Stacey Charter pleaded with state leaders to ensure other families do not experience the heartache she felt after losing her son to the fast-moving disease.
Days before Christmas in 2022, Stacey noticed her son Brayden was feeling unwell and two hours later she found him convulsing and unresponsive.
Despite being rushed to hospital, the 23-year-old was declared brain-dead later that night.
"No parent should have to endure what we have," Ms Charter said.
"Brayden's death could have been prevented.
"That's why I am pleading with the Minns government and (Health Minister) Ryan Park to act before another family is left heartbroken. I simply don't understand why they won't listen."
The meningococcal B jab is free for First Nations children before their first birthday and people with certain medical conditions under the national immunisation program
But all babies and teens can access it for free under state-funded programs in Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland.
Meningitis Centre Australia said NSW needed to follow suit and make preventative health a priority.
It says a NSW program would cost an estimated $20 million per year.
"We are on the brink of peak season; we must act now before any other family is impacted," chief executive Karen Quick said.
NSW lower-house independent MPs, opposition health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane and the Greens also back the call for free vaccines.
A government spokesman said it would respond based on the evidence available, with figures showing only one in every 200,000 NSW residents contracted the disease each year.
NSW's health minister had asked federal counterpart Mark Butler to consider including the meningococcal B vaccine in the National Immunisation Program, he said.
About 135 Australians contracted all forms of meningococcal disease in 2024, with 46 cases reported this year, the National Communicable Disease Surveillance Dashboard shows.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


West Australian
10 hours ago
- West Australian
Opposition renews calls to fund meningococcal B vaccine as WA hits seven cases of deadly disease
The Opposition has renewed calls to fund the meningococcal B vaccine after six of seven recorded cases of the deadly disease this year were identified as the strain. The latest case of the uncommon but life-threatening bacterial infection, diagnosed in a child who is now recovering in hospital, brought the total in line with the State's five-year average. It prompted shadow health minister Libby Mettam to urge the Minister for Preventative Health to consider a free vaccination program for MenB in Budget Estimates on Wednesday. A combined vaccine for A, C, W and Y strains is free via the National Immunisation Program for all children aged 12 months, but the immunisation to protect against the B strain is not. Immunising against MenB is currently a costly exercise in WA with two doses of the jab costing between $320 to $350. It is only free for First Nations children and other children with specified conditions. When urged to consider a free vaccination program in Budget Estimates, Preventative Health Minister Sabine Winton said WA Health were closely monitoring cases. 'The Department of Health and the Communicable Disease Control Directorate closely monitor all those serious notifiable diseases, including meningococcal,' she said. 'They continue to provide advice to ministers, including me, regarding the requirements relating to meningococcal B and other strains. 'I will continue to monitor the trends in relation to MenB and seek advice from experts around Western Australia's future response.' WA Department of Health director-general Shirley Bowen said a vaccination program would be considered if there were clusters of MenB in the community. 'Seven is a number that concerns us definitely,' she said. 'We have a very active and watching brief on this situation and we will consider it at any time should we see significant clusters of meningococcal B occurring. 'At the moment, we are not seeing significant clusters. We are just seeing the occasional case but we definitely recognise it is an important and preventable disease and we will continue to watch it actively.' At a press conference on Tuesday, Ms Mettam said the strain B vaccine 'represents extraordinary bang for buck because it ultimately saves lives'. 'Meningococcal B is a serious life threatening condition but there is a way to prevent it and that is through the roll out of a free vaccination, something that we have seen in other states,' she said. 'The Cook Labor government can do this.' Meningitis Centre chief executive Karen Quick backed the call for MenB vaccinations to be made free. 'South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory have all gone ahead as they're not prepared to take a gamble with their children's lives,' she said. 'Western Australia can do exactly the same thing. It's not fair, it's not equitable that the states across our borders get vaccinated and yet our children here in WA don't. 'Vaccines are no good sitting on shelves. They need to be in our children's arms to protect them.'

Sky News AU
13 hours ago
- Sky News AU
NSW man dies after contracting state's first confirmed case of lyssavirus after bat bite, health authorities confirm
A New South Wales man has died after contracting the state's first recorded case of Australian bat lyssavirus. In a statement on Thursday, a NSW Health spokesperson confirmed the man had succumbed to the virus after fighting for life in hospital. "We express our sincere condolences to the man's family and friends for their tragic loss," a spokesperson said. "While it is extremely rare to see a case of Australian bat lyssavirus, there is no effective treatment for it." On Wednesday, NSW Health said the man was in a critical condition after being bitten by a bat several months ago. The situation sparked an urgent warning from authorities, urging the public to avoid touching or handling bats given the risk of contracting lyssavirus. Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) is typically spread from bats to humans when the virus in the animal's saliva enters the body through a bite or scratch. The illness, which can be fatal if left untreated, is a considered to be closely related to the rabies virus. Earlier, Director in Health Protection at NSW Health Keira Glasgow described the situation as "very tragic" particularly given the man sought treatment following his injury. Ms Glasgow confirmed the man was the first person in NSW to contract the virus, and fourth on a national level. She urged people to assume any bat in Australia can carry lyssavirus, adding urgent medical assessment is crucial if a person is bitten or scratched by the animal. "You will need to wash the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes right away with soap and water and apply an antiseptic with anti-virus action, such as betadine, and allow it to dry," she said. "You will then require treatment with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine." ABLV can be carried by species of flying foxes, fruit bats and insect-eating microbats. NSW Health has reminded Australians the best form of protected from infection is to not touch bats. "If you see a bat in distress, injured or trapped on the ground, do not try to rescue it," health authorities said. Members of the community should contact their local wildlife rescue group or trained experts at wildlife rescue organisation WIRES via 1300 094 737 if they notice a bat in distress.

Sky News AU
a day ago
- Sky News AU
Urgent health warning as New South Wales man fights for life after contracting state's first case of rare virus from bat bite
Authorities have issued an urgent health warning as a northern NSW man fights for life in hospital after contracting the state's first confirmed case of Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV). ABLV is typically spread from bats to humans when the virus in the animal's saliva enters the body through a bite or scratch. The illness, which can be fatal if left untreated, is a considered to be closely related to the rabies virus. NSW Health confirmed the man, who is aged in his 50s, contracted lyssavirus after being bitten by a bat several months ago. Despite seeking treatment following the bite, the man is currently in a critical condition in hospital. Director in Health Protection at NSW Health Keira Glasgow described the situation as "very tragic", particularly given the man sought treatment following his injury. "Further investigation is underway to understand whether other exposures or factors played a role in his illness," Ms Glasgow said in a statement on Wednesday. "We know 118 people required medical assessment after being bitten or scratched by bats in 2024, but this is the first confirmed case of the virus in NSW, and the fourth case in Australia. "It is incredibly rare for the virus to transmit to humans, but once symptoms of lyssavirus start in people who are scratched or bitten by an infected bat, sadly there is no effective treatment." Ms Glasgow urged people to assume any bat in Australia can carry lyssavirus, adding urgent medical assessment is crucial if a person is bitten or scratched by the animal. "You will need to wash the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes right away with soap and water and apply an antiseptic with anti-virus action, such as betadine, and allow it to dry," she said. "You will then require treatment with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine." Australian bat lyssavirus can be carried by species of flying foxes, fruit bats and insect-eating microbats. NSW Health has reminded Australians the best form of protected from infection is to not touch bats. Members of the community should contact their local wildlife rescue group or trained experts at wildlife rescue organisation WIRES if they notice a bat in distress. "If you see a bat in distress, injured or trapped on the ground, do not try to rescue it," health authorities said. The community can contact WIRES via 1300 094 737 or find a licensed wildlife rehabilitation provider on the NSW government's website.