A BOLTON MP who has campaigned for the UK’s first meningitis B vaccine to be given to all children for free was “delighted” yesterday after the Health Secretary announced the move will happen this year.

Minister Jeremy Hunt said Britain would become the first country in the world with a nationwide meningitis B vaccination programme after the Government reached a deal with drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Bolton South East MP Yasmin Quereshi has lobbied for the new vaccine, Bexsero, to be introduced through a national immunisation programme — and had called for clarity on a timeframe in the House of Commons.

There was controversy recently after it emerged Bexsero was still not available to children despite recommendations by health advisors a year ago.

The new deal means the drug will now be added to the national childhood immunisation scheme,and babies will receive the first vaccine at two months old, followed by two further doses.

The Department of Health will work with GSK to secure supplies of the vaccine and bring it into the national programme, with the first immunisations likely to be in September.

Ms Qureshi said: “I am absolutely delighted to hear that this has been agreed.

“I have met several constituents of mine who have been badly affected by this issue including two ladies in Little Lever just last week, so it is great that my constituents and others will be able to benefit from this.

“Meningitis B can be very hard to detect and sometimes it is discovered at too late a stage — so I always believe that prevention is better than cure in aiming to avoid some of the tragic stories that i have heard.”

Mr Hunt said: "I am very proud that we will be the first country in the world to have a nationwide MenB vaccination programme, helping to protect our children from a devastating disease.

"MenB can be severely disabling or fatal, especially in babies and young children.

“Losing a child is every parent's worst nightmare so I am delighted that we have reached an agreement with GSK to supply the vaccine."