Johannesburg: The Gauteng Department of Health has urged parents and caregivers to protect children’s health by ensuring they are vaccinated against preventable diseases, emphasizing that immunization is only effective when all required doses are administered on time. ‘Parents and caregivers play a central role in protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases by ensuring they are vaccinated according to the national immunization schedule,’ the department said.

According to South African Government News Agency, the call comes as the department joins the global community in observing World Immunization Week from 24 to 30 April. ‘Parents are further encouraged to bring children who have missed vaccinations to their nearest health facility for catch-up immunization without delay. Vaccination remains one of the most effective and proven public health interventions to prevent disease, disability, and death,’ the department said.

This year’s Vaccination Week campaign comes at a critical time, as the province has recorded a decline in childhood immunization coverage in the 2025/26 financial year. A total of 191,705 children under the age of one were vaccinated, representing 75.3% coverage, compared with 213,389 children (83%) in the 2024/25 financial year.

‘This decline is concerning, as it increases children’s vulnerability to the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, which can lead to severe illness, long-term complications and even death. It is important for parents to ensure that children receive all scheduled vaccinations on time and complete their immunization programme,’ the department said.

The decline in vaccine uptake has been partly attributed to caregivers not taking children to health facilities for routine immunization and failing to sign consent forms for school-based vaccination programmes. These gaps highlight the need for stronger parental participation in safeguarding child health.

To address the challenge, the department is intensifying community-based awareness campaigns across all districts, focusing on the importance of timely and complete childhood immunization. These interventions are designed to support parents and carers in accessing immunization services and to ensure that no child is left behind.