Meningitis campaigner Alan Glynn says expanding the provision of the vaccine to older children is the next battle in the war against the deadly disease.
Perth dad Alan, whose 19-month-old daughter died from the disease in 2011, is backing a petition started by Jenny Burdett, whose two-year-old daughter Faye died on Valentine’s Day.
Mrs Burdett published photos of her daughter as she lay dying in hospital. She wants the Government to give the meningitis B vaccine to all children, not just newborn babies and her petition already has almost 500,000 signatures.
Mr Glynn, whose three other children were vaccinated privately, also branded Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt “an idiot” for suggesting that worried parents should use Google to identify suspicious rashes.
He said: “The power of people is extraordinary sometimes. I am fully supporting them and they are not going to stop until something happens.
“One of the most at risk groups from meningitis is the under-fives and just to vaccinate newborns is just ridiculous it’s just not good enough. This can be prevented, and what’s stopping it from being prevented is money.
“The vaccine is there and can save lives so it should be used to save lives. For someone to be profiting from something that’s there to protect our children is disgusting.
“Then you’ve got the health secretary coming out and telling you to Google a rash. If you’ve got that sort of idiot in charge of the health service what chance have you got?
“I hope it never happens to them but if it was their child it would be different.”
A vaccine to protect against meningitis B is available on the NHS for babies aged two months, followed by a second dose at four months and a booster at 12 months.