Babies will be enrolled with a doctor within days of being born under a policy announced on Friday by Health Minister Tony Ryall.
He says at present hardly any are enrolled at six weeks and fewer than half are enrolled at 12 weeks.
"Many start their immunisations late, exposing them to preventable diseases like whooping cough and polio," he said.
"One of the biggest benefits of having a newborn enrolled with a GP straight away is that practices can remind parents when their baby is due for their first immunisation at six weeks."
From now, GPs will enter babies into their databases as soon as they are nominated by parents at hospital birthing units.
Mr Ryall says there's strong support for this across the public health service.
"The next challenge is to ensure all children are up to date with their immunisations at eight months old," he said.
"The new preventive health target that will see 95 per cent fully immunised by December 2014 started this month."
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