GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness is calling on all parents and caregivers to ensure their children are fully immunised as the province prepares to launch its National Immunisation Catch-up Drive from 1 to 30 November.
During this period, the department aims to close the immunity gap caused by missed vaccinations, following a concerning decline in infant immunisation coverage below the provincial 95% target, leaving many children vulnerable to measles, polio, tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus.
The department is currently responding to a measles outbreak in Khayelitsha and providing a mass immunisation service at schools, preschools, and healthcare facilities to prevent the spread of the disease within the community.
Meanwhile, healthcare teams are conducting contact tracing amid an increase in diphtheria cases in the Cape Metropole. These diseases are preventable by ensuring that we improve our immunisation coverage in the province and provide herd immunity for the protection of our loved ones who are more vulnerable to getting sick.
What to expect from the National Immunisation Catch-up Drive:
From 1 to 30 November, all public health facilities across the Western Cape will offer free catch-up immunisation services for children who may have missed routine doses. No appointment is needed to access the service during the catch-up drive.
Local outreaches are planned in your community. Contact your local clinic for the schedule of these outreach visits.
Immunisations are also available at private providers at a cost.
Services included as part of the immunisation catch-up drive:
- Checking your child’s Road-to-Health Booklet. No booklet? We will still help you
- Routine and catch-up immunisations
- Vitamin A supplementation
- Deworming
- Nutrition check
- Health screening and education
Our healthcare teams will also visit schools and preschools for immunisations and health checks. Parent or caregiver consent is required to immunise your child, so we encourage you to sign and return the consent form provided by your child’s teacher.
Protecting children through the expanded programme on immunisation (EPI)
The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) ensures that children receive life-saving vaccines at key stages of their early development. From birth through adolescence, these vaccines protect against tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, Hib (which causes meningitis and pneumonia), rotavirus diarrhoea, pneumonia, and measles.
As children grow older, they receive boosters to maintain protection against these diseases. Girls aged nine years and older are also offered the HPV vaccine with parent consent, which helps prevent cervical cancer later in life.
By ensuring every child follows the full EPI schedule, parents protect not only their own children but also their communities from preventable diseases.
Expert insight
“The World Health Organisation’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) celebrated 50 years in 2024. Globally, vaccination prevents 4 million deaths each year.
The South African EPI protects children from diseases that can cause school absence, hospitalisation, or death. Vaccines are safe, well-studied, and essential for building healthy children and communities,” says Dr Heather Finlayson, Senior Specialist in Infectious Disease at Tygerberg Hospital.
“Even a small drop in vaccination coverage can undo years of progress. We urge all parents and caregivers to make sure their children are fully immunised. Vaccines save lives and are provided free of charge at all public health facilities.”
Parents’ "perspectives
Dr Masudah Paleker, Public Health Medicine Specialist, and new mom to an almost 6-month-old baby girl:
As a public health medicine specialist, I’ve always known the importance of immunisation, but as a new parent, this has become even more real to me. Vaccines protect our children from preventable diseases and help keep our families, neighbours, and broader communities healthy. I encourage all parents to ensure their children are up to date with their vaccinations; it’s one of the simplest and most powerful ways to safeguard their future.”
Samantha Lee-Jacobs, mother of one toddler from Somerset West:
“I believe in proactive health and wellness, and I follow in the same path that my own parents took with me. Immunisations are tried and tested and have already resulted in the total eradication of some diseases. My daughter is young, and I have opted to make use of all available immunisations for her age, including some of the privately encouraged ones. I trust in the medicinal benefits of protecting her against future diseases, as promoting wellness as prevention remains better than a cure.”
Natalie Watlington, mother of three children from Fairways:
“Both my girls recently received their HPV vaccinations, a simple and seamless process done right at their school by a caring school nurse. As a parent, I choose to vaccinate my children because I trust the expertise of our health professionals. Just as I would rely on a doctor’s knowledge when my child has a cold or any health concern, I trust that they know what’s best when it comes to prevention, too. They’ve dedicated years to studying health and keeping us safe, and just as I’m the expert in my own field, I believe in letting the experts guide me in theirs.”
Leensie Lötter, mother of two toddlers from Paarl:
“Growing up, I knew a lady who had polio as a child and saw how the disease had a lifelong effect on her physical wellbeing, a reality my children will hopefully never encounter thanks to years of successful vaccination campaigns against this deadly disease. As a mother, I’ve made sure that my children’s vaccinations are up to date and even consented for my eldest to receive a booster immunisation for measles during an outbreak a few years ago. I want to give my children the best chance at staying healthy, and when my daughter is old enough, I’ll also ensure she receives the HPV vaccination.”
What parents should do
- Visit your nearest clinic to check your child’s Road-to-Health Booklet. No appointment is needed.
- Ensure all vaccines are up to date.
- Bring children who have missed doses for catch-up immunisations.
Vaccination protects individual children and entire communities. By ensuring your child is fully immunised, you help prevent outbreaks and keep everyone safer.
The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness calls on all parents, caregivers, and community leaders to be advocates for immunisation. Together, we can protect our children and build a healthy, safe, and resilient society.
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