Hon Simeon Brown
Minister of Health

New figures released today show childhood immunisation rates at 24 months continue to rise, reflecting the Government’s strong commitment to improving health outcomes for Kiwi children, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

“Protecting children from preventable illnesses like measles and whooping cough is a priority, so it’s heartening to see more children across the country now fully immunised,” Mr Brown says.

National coverage at 24 months has climbed to 79.3 per cent in the third quarter of 2024/25 – up 2.4 percentage points compared to the same quarter last year.

“These results show that our clear focus on health targets, combined with the efforts of our frontline workforce, is delivering real improvements for children.”

The gains have been widespread across the country, with several districts showing strong improvement compared to the last quarter.

“Auckland lifted its coverage by 5.7 percentage points, Counties Manukau by 5.5, and Lakes by 5.2. Capital and Coast rose by 4.4 points, while Whanganui achieved a 5.8-point gain.”

The South Island also recorded excellent progress.

“Nelson Marlborough saw a 5.2-point increase, and South Canterbury delivered a remarkable 12.1-point gain this quarter.”

Mr Brown says the rise in immunisation coverage is especially important following the recent cases of measles in Wairarapa.

“These cases are a timely reminder of why staying on top of immunisations is so important. Measles is highly infectious, and vaccination remains the most effective way to protect our children and communities.

“Every additional child immunised lowers the chance of outbreaks, helping to keep our families, schools, and communities safe and healthy.

“Childhood immunisations are a key priority for this Government. We want to see 95 per cent of children fully immunised by 2030, and we know GPs play a critical role in achieving that,” Mr Brown says.

“That’s why this Government has introduced performance payments for GP clinics that lift childhood immunisation rates by up to ten percentage points, or reach 95 per cent of their enrolled population – with partial payments for partial achievement.”

Mr Brown says the Government is backing local services and frontline staff to keep building momentum.

“Putting patients first means giving every child the healthiest possible start to life. We’re continuing to invest in community outreach, local services, and the workforce needed to lift immunisation coverage even further.

“There’s still more work to do, but this latest data shows we’re heading in the right direction,” Mr Brown says.

Note:

The new figures released today are verified data and show the district breakdown of the Government’s improved immunisation health target for the third quarter of 2024/25 (January to March 2025). More recent operational data released in May shows that childhood immunisation rates have continued to rise further: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/childhood-immunisation-rates-hit-three-year-high

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