Gauteng urges parents to vaccinate children after routine immunisation coverage falls below targets

# What happened Gauteng Health MEC Faith Mazibuko has called on parents and caregivers to keep children up to date on routine immunisations after health teams found many under-five children had missed scheduled vaccines. The provincial immunisation coverage for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year is below target, raising the risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

# Coverage figures and district differences The province-wide coverage numbers reported by the Gauteng Department of Health are:

• 72% coverage among children under one year of age.
• 70.7% coverage for the second dose of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine administered at one year.

Coverage varies substantially by district:

• West Rand: highest coverage, 90.6% for children under one and 86.3% for the MR second dose.
• Tshwane: lowest coverage, 59.2% for children under one and 58.7% for the MR second dose.
• Sedibeng: 69.5% for under one and 69.1% for the MR second dose.

# What parents and caregivers should do Parents are responsible for ensuring children receive scheduled vaccinations on time and complete the full immunisation programme. Practical steps:

• Bring the Road to Health Booklet to every clinic visit. It tracks immunisations, growth, nutrition, developmental milestones and oral health.
• If a child has missed a scheduled vaccine, take them to the nearest healthcare facility for catch-up immunisation without delay. Healthcare workers can provide catch-up schedules.
• Children aged 6 months to 5 years should visit healthcare facilities every six months for Vitamin A supplementation and deworming treatments to support growth and immunity.
• If the Road to Health Booklet is lost, still go to the clinic — health staff can assist and arrange catch-up doses.

# Signs to watch for and when to seek care Parents should watch for symptoms of vaccine-preventable diseases, especially in children who missed immunisations. Warning signs listed by the provincial health department include:

• Fever or rash
• Persistent cough
• Muscle weakness or neck stiffness
• Jaundice or severe headache
• Seizures

If these symptoms occur, seek medical attention promptly.

# Why this matters now Lower-than-target immunisation coverage increases the risk of outbreaks in communities and makes preventable illness, disability and death more likely among children. The Gauteng Department of Health is urging immediate action by parents and caregivers to bring missed vaccinations up to date and maintain routine preventive care.

# Short practical checklist for parents

• Locate and bring the Road to Health Booklet to clinics. If lost, still visit the clinic.
• Check your child's immunisation dates and arrange catch-up visits if any vaccines were missed.
• Schedule six-monthly visits for Vitamin A and deworming for children aged 6 months to 5 years.

Keeping routine immunisations current and maintaining regular child health visits are concrete steps families can take to reduce the risk of preventable disease and complications for young children.