$7.6 Million To Protect WA Babies From RSV
Western Australia’s nation-leading Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) immunisation program will continue in 2026, backed by a $7.6 million investment in the Cook Government’s 2025-26 State Budget.
The funding will support the purchase and administration of Nirsevimab for newborns, continuing the rollout that made WA the first state in the country to provide RSV immunisation to infants.
RSV is the leading cause of hospitalisation for children during the first year of life, and thanks to WA’s RSV immunisation rollout, almost 22,000 babies were protected during the 2024 RSV season.
This immunisation effort resulted in a 57 per cent reduction in hospitalisations of babies younger than 12 months, easing pressure on hospitals and emergency departments, and saving the WA health system millions of dollars in hospitalisation costs.
The State’s infant RSV program will continue alongside the Commonwealth’s newly funded maternal RSV vaccine for pregnant women, delivering greater protection for WA’s youngest population.
Western Australia has implemented comprehensive measures to ensure equitable access to RSV immunisation, which is available at a wide range of sites across WA community health clinics, general practices, Aboriginal medical services, antenatal clinics, and maternity hospitals.
More information about immunisation eligibility can be found here: 2025 Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infant and Maternal Immunisation Program
As stated by Preventative Health Minister Sabine Winton:
“The Cook Government is committed to preventing health problems and keeping people out of hospital in the short and long-term.
“We are proud to lead the nation in protecting newborns from RSV, which can be a common reason for hospitalisation among babies.
“I am happy that infants will continue to get the protection they need through this program and encourage new mothers to get their newborns immunised.”
As stated by Health Minister Meredith Hammat:
“The results from our nation-leading rollout of the RSV vaccine for infants were remarkable, sparing hundreds of families the distress of seeing their babies in emergency care.
“This vaccination saves lives. Continuing to support the program is an easy decision for our government, and one that we hope will bring peace of mind for parents and parents-to-be, particularly during these colder months.”
https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook Labor Government/$7.6-million-to-protect-WA-babies-from-RSV-20250601