Following a hard-fought campaign by the Victorian Liberals and Nationals, the Allan Labor Government has backflipped and committed to better protecting newborns and young families against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) from 2025.
RSV is a leading cause of hospitalisation for children 5 and under, with some cases requiring intensive care.
Despite other states acting to secure sufficient RSV vaccines ahead of the 2024 winter period, the Allan Labor Government failed to do so – leaving Victorian newborn babies at heightened risk of this potentially fatal virus.
Earlier this year, the Victorian Liberals and Nationals asked the Minister for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas, why the Victorian Government had not secured the new RSV immunisation, Nirsevimab, for babies and called on sufficient supplies to be secured immediately. The Minister refused to take responsibility and blamed others for the failure to secure vaccine supplies.
Following months of inaction, in August the Victorian Liberals and Nationalslaunched a campaign calling on the Allan Labor Government to provide funding for another new RSV vaccine, Abrysvo, which is given to expectant mothers and protects newborns against severe RSV from birth through to six months.
The success of this state vaccine program is now dependent on the Commonwealth Government providing a subsidised vaccine scheme for expectant mothers, which will complement the newborn vaccine.
Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier, said: "Every Victorian newborn deserves access to a potentially lifesaving RSV vaccine.
"Additionally, Commonwealth subsidisation of Abrysvo to include mothers will remove the key cost barrier and will help address the vaccine gap caused by the Allan Labor Government's own mismanagement."
Shadow Minister for Finance, Jess Wilson, said: "Following months of advocacy by the Victorian Liberals and Nationals, newborns and young families are finally set to receive the RSV protection they deserve.
"Newborns should never have been placed at heightened risk because of Labor's mismanagement of our health system. The focus must now be on ensuring this program is rolled-out comprehensively and as a matter of urgency."
