Vaccinations for children in London’s deprived East End with its high birthrate have reached record levels with nearly 95 per cent having jabs against childhood diseases, latest figures out today show.

That’s well above London’s 80 per cent average and even higher than the national 88 per cent.

Immunisation for measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), diphtheria, polio, tetanus and whooping cough have increased rapidly in Tower Hamlets in the past five years, according to NHS East London & the City.

“We managed this by a robust ‘call and recall’ process,” said Public Health Nurse Luise Dawson.

“Parents were invited to bring children for routine immunisations and contacted if they didn’t attend—then offered another appointment.

“This shows that high rates of immunisation are achievable in an inner city area with a high birthrate and high level of deprivation.”

The numbers who had their second MMR jab increased by 10 percentage points in the last 12 months to 94 per cent, while the number vaccinated against diphtheria, polio, tetanus and whooping cough rose from 91 per cent to 97 per cent.

But East London’s NHS director, Dr Ian Basnett, warned: “We need to continue encouraging parents to have children vaccinated—it’s the most effective way to protect all children and the wider population.”

The World Health Organisation recommends 95 per cent need to be vaccinated to achieve general immunity so that even those who have not had the jab are protected, as immunity levels are so high that an infection cannot take hold in a community.