A KIDDERMINSTER man who lost his son to meningitis has demanded a meeting with the Health Secretary as he bids to ensure no other family has to go through what he suffered.
Anthony Mills lost his son, Aaron, aged 18, at the beginning of the year after contracting Meningitis B.
He has worked with MP Mark Garnier to write a formal request for a meeting with the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, and the Department of Education, where they will propose a plan to get more information about Meningitis out to youngsters in student packs.
His family were puzzled when they first found out, as Aaron had been vaccinated for Meningitis, but they then found out there was a different strain, Meningitis B, which his vaccine did not help him with.
Anthony and his family have since dedicated their lives to trying to ensure all students attending university are given packs containing all information about Meningitis B.
Working alongside Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier, Anthony has written a letter asking for a meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting and the Department of Education, where they will propose a plan to get more information about Meningitis out to youngsters in student packs.
Mr Streeting has confirmed to The Standard that he is planning on responding to the letter from Anthony and Mr Garnier in the coming days.
The Health Secretary added he has asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to re-examine eligibility for the MenB vaccine.
A meningitis outbreak in Kent last month caused the death of two young students.
This week, the UK Health and Security Agency began offering Meningitis B vaccinations to young people in Dorset after three cases of the disease were confirmed in the area.
Anthony said: “We didn’t know there were even different strains of meningitis, and hardly anyone we have spoken to knows anything about it either.
“I have emailed all the universities and student unions in the country, as well as all 650 MPs.
“After the Kent outbreak, my wife, Deniz, and I were invited to Westminster by Meningitis Now for a drop-in session, for MP’s to come and be educated about the MenB vaccine, to try and encourage a national rollout.”
Aaron Mills, aged 18, began to feel a bit run down on December 29 before waking up with a headache the next day.
Shortly after being given paracetamol, his parents found Aaron having a seizure and unresponsive.
He was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital and later University Hospital, Coventry, but despite their best efforts to drain his brain, he passed away on January 3.
