Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West Mike Crockart is backing a charity’s call to end delays and introduce a vaccine to protect babies against Meningitis B as soon as possible.

The UK has one of the world’s highest Meningitis B rates and it kills more of the country’s under-fives than any other infectious disease.

Campaigning charity Meningitis Now, said there have been 1,000 cases of meningococcal group B disease (Men B) since the new vaccine Bexsero received its licence in January 2013 – yet the vaccine still hasn’t been given to babies.

In March, the Government said the vaccine would be given free to babies up to age one on the NHS, subject to price negotiations with developer Novartis.

Commenting, Mike Crockart said:

“Meningitis is a deadly disease and it has seen families in my area lose loved ones and has led to people suffering life changing after-effects. With a vaccine now available, people are suffering unnecessarily and this is unacceptable.

“In August 2013 I called for everyone to rally behind Beat it Now and for the vaccine to be introduced as soon as possible.

“We are now 14 months on and very little has changed. I am disappointed that the vaccine has not yet been introduced for babies. It is vital that the vaccine is introduced as soon as possible to prevent anyone else going through this ordeal.”

Founder of Meningitis Now Steve Dayman MBE, who launched the UK’s meningitis movement after losing his baby son Spencer to the disease in 1982, believes “enough is enough”.

Steve, who won a Pride of Britain Award for his 32-year crusade, earlier this month, said:

“Negotiations have gone on too long – cut the red tape now, so no more lives are needlessly lost.

“It’s ridiculous that negotiations are still going on 8 months after we were told the vaccine will be available from the NHS.

“I want to bang both parties’ heads together. The award-winning vaccine is the most monumental leap forward in the meningitis fight – the time to bring in this vaccine is now.”