The Health Ministry has confirmed that Fijians who are not in the allocated age group and want to be vaccinated will have to purchase the Meningococcal vaccine themselves.

With the vaccines arriving in the country today, the allocated age group who will be immunised are below the age of 19.

Acting National Advisor on Communicable Disease, Dr Alisha Sahukhan says this is the age group facing the highest risk of getting the disease.

“So they are definitely the most targeted groups who have been getting sick, all of the deaths this year have been children under the age of five so we know children are vulnerable there we are having the vaccines for that group because we know they are the most risk.”

The Health Ministry will start their Immunization programme on the 14th of this month.