Western Cape faces growing gap in childhood immunisation

Health authorities report a troubling drop in infant vaccination, citing vaccine hesitancy and logistical challenges as barriers to protecting children from preventable illnesses. By Tamsin Metelerkamp

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Professor Shabir Madhi says that until South Africa meets the 95% immunisation coverage target, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases will continue.

(Photo: Supplied)

The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness recently flagged a concerning trend in the province: a decline in infant immunisation rates. Even a small drop in vaccine coverage could undo years of progress, officials warned, making it important to tackle the problem head-on.

Professor Hassan Mahomed, a public health specialist in the department, told Daily Maverick that immunisation coverage for children under one year dropped to 67.4% in 2024/25, from 67.6% in 2023/24. This remains far below the goal of 95% needed to achieve “herd immunity”.

“This is a significant gap that leaves thousands of infants vulnerable to preventable diseases,” Mahomed said. “The department is actively addressing this with immunisations available at our clinics, while our teams have also launched outreaches and are going door to door to encourage our communities to obtain immunisations at our clinics, or at more easily accessible wellness sites or mobile [clinics].”

South Africa’s immunisation coverage has been declining nationally, according to Mahomed. He said data showed it had been under pressure since Covid-19, when disruptions to routine health services during lockdowns created gaps.

This was compounded by vaccine hesitancy fuelled by misinformation.

Mahomed noted that vaccine hesitancy had become a “significant barrier” both globally and locally. This underscored the need for community engagement and clear communication to rebuild confidence in immunisation.