EVERY Australian child will be offered free vaccination against the deadly meningococcal disease after a Federal Government decision to double the size of the program.

The decision to upgrade the program at a cost of $190 million will enable all children aged between one and five years to be immunised by their GPs.

Health Minister Kay Patterson yesterday said vaccines would also be supplied to schools to immunise teens 15 to 19 during the first few weeks of school next year.

"This is a huge investment by the Government on behalf of Australian children and parents to protect them against this terrible disease," Senator Patterson said.

The vaccine protects children against meningococcal C disease, which is responsible for half the meningococcal deaths in NSW from.

A worldwide shortage of the vaccine has made it difficult to obtain and the Federal Government recently obtained a new supply which will provide vaccines for 10 per cent of the Australian population next year, compared to the 60,000 doses previously available.

Senator Patterson said the program would cost $291 million, making it the most expensive vaccination program in Australia.

The Federal Government initially agreed to vaccinate teenagers in the most "at risk" ages of 15 to 17 and for toddlers aged 12 months.

Meningococcal infections in Australia are usually the B or C strains with the C strain the most deadly. No vaccine is available for the B strain.

The bacteria can quickly invade the patient's blood system causing meningitis and septicaemia, which can result in limbs being amputated or, in serious cases, death.

The disease is passed by prolonged close contact such as kissing or sharing drinks. Symptoms are similar to a sudden onset of the flu.

There have been 185 cases in NSW this year and 19 deaths. The state has averaged 192 cases a year over the past decade.

Newcastle youngster Cassy Brown lost the fingers on one hand and is still receiving medical treatment four years after contracting meningococcal when she was just 15 months old.

Her mother Donna wishes a vaccine had been available earlier.

"I would not want anyone to go through it, even if you survive it, you are scarred for life," she said.

"We cannot put a price tag on children's lives, especially when you've seen this bacteria first hand."