As we settle ourselves in 2024 and begin prepping the little ones for early morning school runs, the City of Cape Town’s Health Department is urging parents and caregivers to add vaccination boosters to the to-do list.
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Immunisation saves millions of lives each year by protecting young children against potentially life-threatening illnesses such as polio, measles, tetanus, hepatitis B, diphtheria, TB, pertussis and meningitis through vaccinations administered at designated ages.
While South Africa’s vaccination schedule sees most vaccinations administered in the first year of a child’s life, the schedule also requires children to receive booster doses at the ages of six and 12.
Over the past two years, City of Cape Town clinics have seen a steady decline in vaccination boosters in statistics:
| Period | Fully immunised under 1yr | Hexavalent – 4th dose | Td dose at 6yrs | Td dose at 12 yrs |
| July 2021 – June 2022 | 37 639 | 34 930 | 16 241 | 7 126 |
| July 2022 – June 2023 | 29 736 | 30 029 | 12 915 | 5 779 |
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‘The drop in the number of child vaccinations in the various categories is of concern and it’s imperative that we turn the tide,’ said City’s MMC for community services and health, Patricia van der Ross.
‘Vaccinations are critical to the health and well-being of our children and to mitigate the risk of serious illness or complications.’
She added that last year’s measles outbreak in the metro should serve as a reminder of the significance of timely vaccinations as well as booster doses.
Road to Health booklets issued to caregivers soon after birth should be used to keep track of their children’s vaccination status and to ensure it is up-to-date before their young ones return to or start their school career.
‘So as your preparation for the new school year continues, please also make time to ensure that your child’s vaccinations are up to date,’ urged van der Ross. ‘If you are unsure of anything, ask our clinic staff who will be able to assist.’
City Health’s useful information for caregivers:
Vaccinations are safe and effective. If you have any concerns about vaccine safety, please consult with the healthcare worker.
South Africa follows the World Health Organisation’s vaccination guidelines, which means administering vaccinations that provide protection against diseases like polio, diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, meningitis, tetanus, hepatitis, pneumonia and rotavirus (which causes diarrhoea).
The full schedule is available here.
In the public sector, children receive 16 immunisations between birth and the age of 12. Of these, 14 are administered in the first 18 months of their lives.
Children who are not up to date with the vaccination schedule can still get the vaccinations. Simply consult with the healthcare worker as catch-up is different for the various vaccines.
Documents required for vaccinations are:
- caregiver’s ID
- child’s birth certificate
- Road to Health booklet
If you do not have the documents, you can still visit the clinic, and the child will be vaccinated.
If you have lost the Road to Health book, inform healthcare workers so that a copy of the booklet can be issued.
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Also read:
Things for kids to do in Cape Town before going back to school
Picture: City of Cape Town
