Better health services to support vulnerable children

National has committed to increasing infant immunisation rates, and reducing the incidence of rheumatic fever, as part of its Better Public Services targets.

One of the best things we can do for children is to have them fully immunised from common diseases like whooping cough and measles.

We have already boosted immunisation rates for two year olds from 73 per cent under Labour, to 92.8 per cent today.

Younger babies are most vulnerable, so now we’re moving the target age. Our target is 95 per cent of eight-month-olds will be fully immunised by the end of 2014.

Rheumatic fever is a third world, and potentially life threatening, disease. The good news is that it’s largely preventable.

National has committed $24 million to reduce the incidence of rheumatic fever by two-thirds – down to 1.4 cases per 100,000 – by 2017.

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