Australian Health Minister Nicola Roxon on Thursday called for people to be vaccinated for A/H1N1 flu after it was revealed only a quarter of doses available had been administered.

Roxon was joined by the Australian Medical Association in her plea for people, particular children and pregnant women, to be vaccinated, News Limited reported.

The minister said because the government had prepared for each patient requiring two doses, when it had transpired one was enough, there were plenty of free vaccinations available to the wider community.

Despite this, taxpayers would be forced to foot the bill for the 21 million A/H1N1 flu vaccinations purchased by the government.

Australia had 37,000 confirmed cases of A/H1N1 flu and 191 deaths, according to private health insurers MBF.

(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2010)