More pregnant women, babies, and families are being protected from preventable illness as midwives take on a bigger role in delivering vaccinations, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

"Community midwives play a vital role in protecting maternal and infant health, which is why we're funding them to give vaccinations," Mr Brown says.

"Pregnant women and new parents already see their midwife regularly throughout pregnancy and the early months of a child's life. Funding midwives to vaccinate as part of that routine care means fewer appointments, fewer barriers, and more chances to protect babies and families from diseases like whooping cough and influenza at the times they're most at risk.

"The target is to have 80 midwives delivering vaccinations by 30 June 2027, with 25 sites ready to start. We're already ahead of that pace."

The programme is tracking well against that target:

Nearly 70 midwives have vaccinated around 1,600 people so far, mostly against whooping cough and influenza. Since 1 February, they have also given more than 200 childhood vaccines.

Community midwives were first funded to deliver antenatal immunisations from mid last year, in response to the national whooping cough epidemic and the risk it poses to newborns before they can begin their own vaccinations at six weeks old. That was extended in February this year, giving midwives the ability to vaccinate mothers after birth, babies, and eligible family members until a baby turns one.

"This is about giving families more ways to access essential healthcare, close to home, from someone they already trust.

"The uptake from midwives is heartening, and I want to thank every midwife who has taken on such an important responsibility to protect our young Kiwi babies and families.

"We will continue to build on this progress so even more young New Zealanders are protected from preventable illness,” Mr Brown says.