By Johannah Malogadihlare
The Health Department is urging people of all ages to protect themselves against vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and polio.
“Vaccination remains the most cost-effective public health intervention to save lives and the first line of defence against many diseases,” said department spokesperson Foster Mohale.
He also urged parents and caregivers to ensure that their children were up to date with their vaccinations.
“African Vaccination Week is simultaneously celebrated with other World Health Organisation (WHO) regions under the banner of World Immunisation Week and aims to strengthen advocacy for better access to vaccinations across the life course,” Mohale said.
According to WHO, immunisation prevents between 3.5 to 5 million deaths every year from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), influenza and measles.
The department has appealed for provinces and stakeholders to work together to address immunisation gaps and improve vaccination coverage in the country.
As part of efforts to curb vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, it said it would use the 2025 campaign to close immunity gaps in districts with a poor performance and recorded high numbers of vaccinated and unvaccinated children (also known as zero-dose children).
“Although 80% of children in South Africa have received all their vaccination by the age of one year, this means that one in five children has missed one or more dose and is therefore not fully protected from vaccine-preventable diseases,” Mohale said.
Vaccinations at primary healthcare facilities remain free of charge.
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