Health department urges parents to immunise their children

The Western Cape health department are urging all parents and guardians to have their children immunised.

CAPE TOWN, April 26 (ANA) – The Western Cape health department on Monday urged all parents and guardians to have their children immunised.

Department spokesperson, Shimoney Regter said this appeal comes as Immunisation Week kicks off across the world.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), immunisations save millions of lives every year and was recognised as one of the most successful health interventions across the world.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many children have not been vaccinated and run the risk of contracting serious diseases like measles and polio.

Immunisations are given to children to protect them from developing severe disease.

An un-immunised child or a child who has missed out on immunisations run the risk of developing a vaccine preventable disease such as measles or pneumonia.

Assistant nursing manager for facility based services in the northern Tygerberg district, Michelle Williams said immunisation boosts a child’s immune system.

Children are immunised from birth until the age of 12.

“The immunisations at birth can protect the child against developing tuberculosis (TB) and polio,” Williams said.

“The vaccines administered thereafter are done at six weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks. Then again at six months, nine months, 12 months and 18 months. The child will be vaccinated again when they go to school at the age of six years and again at 12 years.”

The diseases children get vaccinated against include: polio, measles, haemophilus, influenza type B (Hib), hepatitis B pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus (lock jaw), diphtheria (a dangerous bacterial disease) and tuberculosis (TB) meningitis.

Healthcare facilities also vaccinate against rotavirus (one of the viruses that cause diarrhoea) and pneumococcal disease (e.g. meningitis, otitis media, pneumonia, bacteraemia).

Williams said while the world is being vaccinated against Covid-19, there is a need to ensure that children also receive their immunisations which protects their health.

“Immunisations are important and play an important role in the child’s well-being. Even if you as the parent forget the date to get your child’s vaccine, your child can still get the immunisation at a later date,” Williams said.

“A vaccine administered at a later date is far better than a child who has not received immunisations.”

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Devereaux Morkel