South Africa: Vaccinate Your Children to Prevent Diseases
Gauteng health officials in South Africa are urging parents to ensure children receive routine vaccinations after data showed a decline in immunization coverage. Low uptake rates, particularly in the Tshwane district, have raised concerns about the resurgence of preventable diseases like measles.
Why it matters
Declining vaccination rates pose a significant public health risk, potentially leading to outbreaks of preventable diseases and long-term health complications for children.
Gauteng Health MEC Faith Mazibuko has urged parents and caregivers to keep children up to date on routine immunisations, warning that missing these critical vaccines leaves children vulnerable to preventable diseases that may have lifelong consequences.
The call comes after visits to communities by the MEC and health teams revealed that a large number of children under the age of five have missed immunisations.
"This concerning observation is reflected in the province's immunisation coverage during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, which remains below target, with 72% coverage among children under one year of age and 70.7% coverage for the second dose of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine administered at one year of age.
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