Vaccination drive targets Western Cape children from November 1

The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has launched a National Immunisation Catch‑up Drive that will run from 1 to 30 November 2025. The initiative seeks to reverse a decline in infant immunisation coverage, which has fallen below the provincial target of 95 % and left many children vulnerable to measles, polio, tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus. A recent measles outbreak in Khayelitsha has prompted mass immunisation services at schools, preschools and health facilities, while healthcare teams are conducting contact tracing in response to a rise in diphtheria cases in the Cape Metropole. The department stresses that these diseases are preventable through higher immunisation rates, which provide herd immunity and protect the most vulnerable.

During the catch‑up drive, all public health facilities in the Western Cape will offer free immunisation services for children who have missed routine doses. No appointment is required, and local outreach visits will be organised in communities; parents and caregivers can contact their nearest clinic for the outreach schedule. Immunisations are also available from private providers for a fee. The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) ensures that children receive life‑saving vaccines at key stages of early development, protecting against tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and measles. As children grow older, booster doses maintain this protection. Girls aged nine years and older are offered the HPV vaccine with parental consent, helping to prevent cervical cancer later in life.

Dr. Heather Finlayson, Senior Specialist in Infectious Disease at Tygerberg Hospital, emphasises that vaccines are safe, well‑studied and essential for building healthy children and communities. She warns that even a small drop in coverage can erase years of progress and urges all parents and caregivers to ensure their children are fully immunised. The department advises families to visit their nearest clinic to verify that the child’s Road‑to‑Health Booklet is up to date and that all vaccinations are current.

Services included in the immunisation catch‑up drive are: checking the Road‑to‑Health Booklet, providing routine and catch‑up vaccines, vitamin A supplementation, deworming, nutrition checks, and health screening and education. By participating, parents and caregivers help prevent outbreaks and keep their communities safer. The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness calls on all parents, caregivers and community leaders to advocate for immunisation, working together to protect children and build a healthy, safe and resilient society.