More than 300 children have avoided serious illnesses such as meningitis, septicaemia and severe pneumonia in the past year because they have had the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, figures from the Health Protection Agency show.
Of these 300, it is estimated that 17 would have died and about 30 would have been permanently disabled.
However the Department of Health is highlighting that uptake of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is lower than for vaccines against other illness, so more children need to be vaccinated.
Health Protection Agency figures show only 86% of children have received the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine so far - leaving one in six children unvaccinated.
Director of Immunisation Professor David Salisbury said: "That about 300 young children have already been saved the trauma of suffering from a major illness like meningitis shows the importance of vaccinating children against serious illness.”
Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said: "These figures are a stark reminder of the importance and benefits of immunisation as we shift the focus of the NHS from a sickness service to a wellbeing service."
