About Us - Immunise Australia Program
State and Territory information:
An Australian, State and Territory Government initiative, the Immunise Australia Program aims to increase national immunisation rates.
Under the Immunise Australia Program, the Australian Government provides funding to:
- State and Territory governments for the purchase of vaccines listed in the National Vaccine Schedule;
- Medicare Australia for:
- The Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR);
- The General Practice Immunisation Incentives Scheme (GPII); and
- Subsidising individual private consultations involved in immunisation through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS).
The National Immunisation Committee (NIC) is the peak group responsible for overseeing the development, implementation and delivery of the Immunise Australia Program. The NIC reports to the Australian Health Protection Committee through the Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) and Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC). For more information about the AHPPC, see the National Public Health Partnership (NPHP) website.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) provides advice to the Minister for Health and Ageing on the Immunise Australia Program, the medical administration of vaccines available in Australia, including those on the National Immunisation Program, and other related issues. In addition to technical experts, ATAGI’s membership includes a consumer and general practitioners.
The Population Health Division, within the Department of Health and Ageing, is responsible for the development, implementation and evaluation of national immunisation policies and programs. For historical trends in vaccine-preventable diseases funded under the Program, refer to Immunise Australia Program disease notifications.
Established in 1997 through the Immunise Australia: Seven Point Plan, the Immunise Australia Program originated from the initiatives of the 1993 National Immunisation Strategy. For more information about the history of the Program, please refer to History of the Immunise Australia Program.
Page last modified: 06 November, 2006