City of Greater Dandenong Council has committed to advocate for the reinstatement of the Program for Refugees Immunisation Monitoring and Education.
The notice of motion tabled by councillor Lana Formoso was passed unanimously at the council meeting on Monday 10 November, which also requested a meeting with the Minister for Health.
“This one we’ve really stood together to stand for a stronger immunisation access public health equity and the wellbeing of every family in Greater Dandenong and beyond,” she said after the motion was passed.
The PRIME program was a Government-funded initiative to support catch-up immunisations in the refugee and asylum seeker communities which first began in 2016.
The award-winning program’s cessation was announced in 2023 and transitioned to the primary care system despite organisation services like, Southern Migrant Refugee Centre (SMRC), Greater Dandenong Council and councillors urged against it.
They cited limited appointment availability, lack of GP expertise, cultural and language barriers, and high rates of vaccine administration and data errors.
The motion also expressed council’s deep concerns with the exclusion of Meningococcal B strain from the Victoria’s immunisation schedule, referencing 16-year-old Levi Syer’s tragic passing within a day due to sepsis, which could’ve been easily preventable with the vaccination.
Distraught mother, Norliah Syer is supported by a large number of advocates, including the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) to include the crucial B strain under the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
“Despite her unimaginable grief, Norliah has channelled her pain into purpose advocating tirelessly so no other family has to endure what they have gone through and the heartbreak.
“This motion is a testament to her advocacy and Levi’s legacy,” Cr Formoso said.
Prior to Monday’s meeting, Cr Formoso urged neighbouring councils, City of Casey and Kingston Council to take action and potentially “collaborate on a united local government response.”
City of Casey mayor, Stefan Koomen said council is considering Cr Formoso’s request.
“Adding Meningococcal B to Victoria’s vaccine schedule is important, along with ensuring fair and reliable funding for immunisation across all councils from both State and Federal Governments.
“City of Casey Councillors are considering Cr Lana Formoso’s request and working to shape Casey’s advocacy approach on this issue ahead of the next Council meeting.”
Meningococcal B protects against meningococcal disease which can lead to severe illnesses lie meningitis and septicaemia and most commonly affects infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
It can cause brain damage, limb loss, hearing loss or death.
Private prescription of Meningococcal B vaccine is anywhere between $110-165 per dose, with infants required three doses, two primary doses and a booster dose.
RACGP Victoria Chair, Dr Anita Muñoz, has long urged the Victorian Government to act, citing costs as the reason the B strain is excluded from the schedule.
“If we don’t boost vaccination rates, more lives will be at risk, including young people like Levi with their whole life ahead of them.
“By providing the Meningococcal B vaccine free of charge for at-risk groups we can save lives across Victoria.”
Dr Muñoz said it was time to offer Victorians the same protection already being offered in other states and territories.
Two extra points were also added by Cr Formoso which requests the state government’s health department to release any internal review of the PRIME program before it was ceased, provide the uptake of immunisation for 2023-2025 for refugees and asylum seeker population within Greater Dandenong and surrounding municipalities.
The motion also notes the reduction in immunisation coverage and increased risks of preventable disease outbreaks post cessation of PRIME by service providers like Royal Children’s Hospital Immigrant Health Service.
Since it began, vaccination coverage for refugee and asylum seekers rose from 24 per cent to 84 per cent.
Just two weeks before the program was ceased in December, PRIME won its second award, Multicultural Excellence Award for Health from the Multicultural Commission of Victoria in December 2023.
Previously, it won the GSK Immunisation Award at the 2023 Public Health Association of Australia conference.
Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams provided Star News with a statement on the cessation of the PRIME program in 2023.
The Federal Health department stated pharaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline had last submitted for its meningococcal B vaccine to be included on the National Immunisation Program for infants and teenagers in 2019.
“The Australian Government can only list a vaccine on the NIP to be provided for free when the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) provides a positive recommendation for its listing as a ‘designated vaccine’.
“When the PBAC evaluates applications for vaccines, the PBAC considers the medical conditions for which the vaccine was registered for use in Australia, its clinical effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness (‘value for money’) compared with other treatments.”
“The Department is unable to provide an estimated cost for inclusion of the vaccine on the NIP.”
