A NEW bid to vaccinate children against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) has been launched.

Figures announced in September showed Lewisham had the third lowest take-up of the MMR jab in London.

Now the borough's primary care trust (PCT) is planning a winter campaign to protect the estimated 1,500 children who are vulnerable to the deadly diseases because they have not been given the jab.

Starting this month the trust will be working alongside the London Health Protection Agency to implement a range a measures to encourage more parents to get their children vaccinated against the diseases.

These include vaccination sessions in partnership with schools, where parents will be invited to consent to having their children given the MMR jab.

There will also be a team which targets GP surgeries which have traditionally had a low uptake of the jab and education programmes will be run to emphasis the importance of vaccination.

Figures released by the Department of Health showed between April 2003 and March 2004 only vaccinated 47 per cent of children in the borough had received their second jab by the age of five.

Officials have recommended a 95 per cent take up of the MMR vaccination to protect the population.

However, the national average is still only 75 per cent.

Director of public health at Lewisham PCT Chris Watts said: "Never before has it been so important to make sure your child is vaccinated against these diseases.

"Over the past year we have seen several measles outbreaks in South East London.

"This is a direct cause of not enough children being vaccinated.

"We will be doing all we can in Lewisham to encourage parents to vaccinate their children in order to protect them."