TORONTO (CP) - A cash-strapped health unit in Ontario has decided to run a vaccination lottery as a way of immunizing at least some children against two dreaded diseases, but critics say it's a sign of a badly underfunded public health system.

The lottery for free vaccines against pneumonia and meningitis run by the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge health unit is open to all children in the district aged two to four but only 400 will be randomly selected.

That means about 3,600 others will be out of luck if all those in the age group want the shots.

A statement from the health unit describes the motivation for the lottery.

"Since the government forces parents to gamble with their children's health by not covering the cost, we thought we would also give parents a chance to gamble and hopefully win a chance to protect their children."

Sharon Thompson, director of communicable diseases for the health unit, said in an interview Thursday it's the best they can do with the $50,000 the board of health has taken out of its reserves for vaccinations.

"We had a fixed dollar value to spend on vaccines and it would not cover every child in our area," said Thompson.

"The main concern was equity of access for the parents."

The Canadian Pediatric Society and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization have recommended all children be vaccinated against the meningococcal and pneumococcal infections.

Given the seriousness of the illnesses, the vaccines are also considered highly cost-effective. Most other provinces do fund immunization programs for children.

New Democrat Michael Prue said government underfunding has left health units stretched to the point they can't carry out their most important functions.

"It's symptomatic of a health system in decline is what it is," said Prue.

The government could pay to immunize all kids with the money its spending on tax breaks for seniors and private schools, he said.

"It's a question of priorities."

An aide to Health Minister Tony Clement said Ontario does fund several vaccination programs, such as one against the influenza, mumps and measles, but only pays for pneumonia and meningitis if there's an outbreak.

"The plan now is to respond to outbreaks with immunization for anyone who might be at risk," said Paul Cantin.

In a position paper this month, Ontario's medical officers of health backed a call for such a program by noting that forcing parents to pick up the tab for the shots can be prohibitive.

It costs up to $800 to vaccinate a child against meningitis, pneumonia and chicken pox.

"Ontario's children thus face inequalities compared to children in other parts of Canada as well as within Ontario," the health officials said.

Thompson said she remembers a fatal outbreak of meningitis several years ago where the health unit suddenly found itself scrambling to vaccinate 22,000 children in one three-week period.

"The expense of vaccinating children under those conditions and the hysteria is something that can clearly be avoided," said Thompson.