The School Health Team has rolled out a measles and rubella vaccination campaign at Pretoria Boys High School in Brooklyn, as part of broader efforts to strengthen childhood immunisation and prevent outbreaks of highly contagious diseases.

According to the Department of Health, measles and rubella can spread rapidly in school environments and are known to cause serious complications, including deafness, blindness, brain infections, and long-term disabilities if not prevented through vaccination.

Gauteng Department of Health spokesperson Steve Mabona said the campaign is part of ongoing school-based outreach programmes aimed at improving vaccine uptake among learners and ensuring that children are protected against preventable illnesses.

Speaking during African Vaccination Week, Mabona urged parents and caregivers to take greater responsibility for ensuring children are fully immunised.

“Parents and carers play a central role in protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases by ensuring they are vaccinated according to the national immunisation schedule,” said Mabona.

He warned that immunisation only works when all required doses are received on time, adding that missed or delayed vaccinations increase health risks for children.

“This year’s African Vaccination Week campaign comes at a critical time, as the province has recorded a decline in childhood immunisation coverage in the 2025/26 financial year,” he said.

According to Mabona, 191 705 children under the age of one were vaccinated in the 2025/26 financial year, representing 75.3% coverage, down from 213 389 children (83%) in the previous year.

Mabona said the decline is concerning, as it raises the risk of a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases that can lead to severe illness, long-term complications and even death.

He attributed the decline partly to caregivers failing to bring children for routine immunisation and not signing consent forms for school-based vaccination programmes.

“These gaps highlight the need for stronger parental participation in safeguarding child health,” he said.

To address the challenge, the department has intensified community-based awareness campaigns across all districts and strengthened outreach services at Early Childhood Development centres, particularly targeting children who have not been vaccinated at all, and underserved communities.

Mabona also encouraged parents whose children have missed vaccinations to visit the nearest clinic for catch-up immunisation without delay.

Vaccination remains one of the most effective public health interventions, with authorities stressing that sustained uptake is essential to protect both individual children and broader community health.

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok or WhatsApp Channel