New Zealander children are dying and being left disabled because vaccines that protect against meningococcal disease cost about $150 per dose. Parents are not even aware that the vaccines exist.

The Meningitis Foundation petitioned the Parliament in early 2022 asking the Government to provide free vaccines for all preventable forms of meningococcal disease to students in Year 11, or at 16 years of age. It further asks to add the vaccines to the childhood immunization schedule, which is the series of vaccines offered for free to babies and children.

Andrea Brady, one of the founding directors of the Foundation says, “This is a significant disease that can take a life extremely quickly”.

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