As South Africa marks Children and Youth Month this June, it is important to remember the critical role vaccines play in protecting vulnerable children from preventable diseases.
In recent years, the country has seen many deaths of children due to not being vaccinated, highlighting the pressing need to prioritise vaccination efforts.
The Department of Health has launched campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of vaccinations for children. The vaccines aim to protect children from diseases such as tuberculosis, measles, polio and hepatitis B, all of which can lead to severe illness or even death.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination is an effective and cost-effective public health intervention that saves an estimated 2–3 million lives worldwide each year. Despite this, South Africa has experienced a decline in vaccination rates, leading to increased outbreaks of preventable diseases.
One such disease is measles, which has seen a dramatic increase in cases reported in South Africa in recent years.
According to data from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the country reported 15 525 cases of measles in 2019. Children who are not vaccinated are at serious risk of contracting preventable diseases.
Immunisation is the safest way to protect your children from life-threatening diseases. One of the best and easiest ways to protect our children is by having them immunised against common preventable diseases, including measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, rotavirus and other serious childhood diseases. Children are also provided with vitamin A and deworming medication.
The Department of Health and Wellness is plugging these gaps by providing free childhood immunisation catch-ups to all parents whose children missed their immunisations.
Health-care workers are reaching out to parents at schools, health-care facilities and communities via community health workers and scheduling local community outreaches to encourage parents to bring their children for their immunisations along with their Road to Health booklet or clinic card.
The Department started giving the measles vaccine to all eligible children under the age of 15 in February this year in response to a rising public health danger.
Since the start of the campaign in the Northern and Tygerberg District in February, nursing staff have administered more than 80 000 vaccinations.
“We had administered at least 80 302 immunisations to our population by the end of May. To avoid outbreaks, we need to vaccinate or immunise our children as all childhood diseases are vaccine-preventable,” said Sr Rayneze Saayman, who oversees school health programmes in the Northern and Tygerberg District.
Without immunisations, your child has a higher risk of contracting an illness, developing a lifelong disability or dying from malnutrition.
“Children who receive vaccinations are not the only ones who are protected, but it has a ripple effect and ensures that communities are protected from childhood diseases too,” said Saayman.
“We encourage all parents and caregivers to make use of the free vaccination service at our schools, clinics and outreaches,” she said.
Such is the case of Lindelwa Mutamba who visited the Ruyterwacht Community Day Centre (CDC) to have her 14-week-old baby immunised. Mutamba has encouraged all caregivers to protect their children’s health.
“We need to protect our little ones by getting their immunisations on time at our clinics. One day, my baby will attend crèche and she will play with other children, so I must ensure that she gets all the immunisations she needs today so that she can be protected in future,” said Mutamba.
Immunisations are safe, and mild side effects from immunisations are normal, but the recovery is quick.
The first immunisations are given at birth and then at several intervals throughout the child’s first years of life.
Immunisations are given at the following intervals:
Birth, 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 14 weeks, 16 weeks, 9 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 12 years.
You can still take your child for his/her immunisations, even if they are ill or in recovery. The health professional will also check on your child’s growth and development and if he/she has any concerns, will provide you with advice or referrals.
Immunisations will give your child the best chance to be healthy and give you as a parent peace of mind.