Government backtracks on 2016 election pledge

Labor pledged the vaccinations would be made free for every baby the month before the election, with the program costed at $12.3 million over four years.

But Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith on Tuesday indicated to the ACT Legislative Assembly that the program would not go ahead.

The $12 million announced was not appropriated in any ACT budget.

She said there had been a clear decrease in meningococcal B cases in the ACT, with only four confirmed cases since 2014.

In that same period, she said, rates of other meningococcal diseases had increased.

"This is a trend that has also been observed in other countries and is why in 2018 ... the ACT Government responded to this emerging threat with the introduction of a free adolescent MenACWY vaccination program in place of a [meningococcal B] vaccination for babies," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"Since 2018, cases of meningococcal from all strains of the disease has also remained very low in the ACT, with two confirmed cases since 2018."

The MenACWY vaccine offers protection against the four groups of meningococcal bacteria A, C, W and Y.

The MenACWY vaccine has been funded by the federal government since April, but the ACT government continues to fund the administration aspect of the vaccine program at schools.

The government has set aside less than $3 million on MenACWY programs since 2017-18.

Deputy Opposition Leader Nicole Lawder said while there may be a good reason for the program not going ahead, it was symptomatic of the government's poor health planning.

"Canberrans, including mothers and babies, have been let down by this government's neglect of health on so many fronts," she said.

"If Labor did their homework, they wouldn't have to keep breaking promises."

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee will reconsider a resubmission from a pharmaceutical manufacturer to list a Meningococcal B vaccine on the national immunisation program for the routine immunisation of infants and adolescents.

The federal government may consider a national program depending on the committee's recommendations.

South Australia - which has the highest rate of the disease in the country - is the only jurisdiction in the country with a meningococcal B immunisation program.