Parents and caregivers of young children are being urged to ensure their little ones are fully immunised.
The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness launched its National Immunisation Catch-up Drive last week, running from Saturday 1 to Sunday 30 November.
During this period, the department aims to close the zero-dose immunity gap caused by missed vaccinations in the province. This follows 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.
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The department is currently responding to a measles outbreak in Khayelitsha and providing mass immunisation services at schools, preschools, and healthcare facilities to prevent community spread. Healthcare teams are also conducting contact tracing amid an increase in diphtheria cases in the Cape Metropole.
These diseases are preventable through improved immunisation coverage, providing vital protection for vulnerable community members.
WHAT TO EXPECT
During the drive, 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.
Local outreach programmes are planned in communities across the Cape Winelands, which comprises Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein, Langeberg, and Witzenberg. Healthcare workers will visit neighbourhoods, homes, crèches, and community halls to make immunisation more accessible. Contact your local clinic for detailed schedules.
Immunisations are also available through private providers at cost.
CATCH-UP DRIVE SERVICES
- Checking children’s Road-to-Health booklets (healthcare workers will assist if you don’t have one).
- Routine and catch-up immunisations.
- Nutrition checks.
- Health screening and education
Provincial healthcare teams will visit schools and preschools for immunisations and health checks. Parent or caregiver consent is required, so the department encourages parents and guardians to sign and return consent forms provided by teachers.
PROTECTING CHILDREN
The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) ensures children receive life-saving vaccines at key developmental stages. 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. Girls aged nine and older are offered the HPV vaccine with parental consent, helping 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 EPI celebrated 50 years in 2024. Globally, vaccination prevents four million deaths annually,” said Dr Heather Finlayson, senior specialist in infectious diseases at Tygerberg Hospital.
“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.
“Even a small drop in vaccination coverage can undo years of progress. We urge all parents and caregivers to ensure their children are fully immunised. Vaccines save lives and are provided free of charge at all public health facilities.”
PARENTAL PERSPECTIVE
Dr Masudah Paleker, a public health medicine specialist and new mother to an almost six-month-old baby girl, said: “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.”
Leensie Lötter, a mother of two toddlers from Paarl, shared: “Growing up, I knew a lady who had polio as a child and saw how the disease affected her physical wellbeing for life – a reality my children will hopefully never encounter thanks to successful vaccination campaigns against this deadly disease.
“As a mother, I’ve ensured my children’s vaccinations are up to date and even consented for my eldest to receive a measles booster 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 ensure she receives the HPV vaccination.”
Parents are urged to visit their nearest clinic to check their child’s Road-to-Health booklet, ensure all vaccines are up to date, and bring children who have missed doses for catch-up immunisations.
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