Immunisation Schedule

South Africa’s immunisation schedule is in line with the World Health Organization’s recommendations of how children should be vaccinated

By Child Magazine

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The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) encourages vaccination against measles, polio, pertussis (whooping cough), diphtheria, tetanus and tuberculosis. The South African Department of Health’s immunisation schedule is in line with the WHO’s vaccination recommendations. Between two and three million deaths are prevented globally each year by effective immunisation.

Recommended immunisation schedule

Age of child	Vaccine needed	How and where it is given
Birth	BCG TOPV	Intradermal injection to right upper arm Drops by mouth
6 weeks	TOPV RV DTP-IPV/Hib Hepatitis B PCV₇	Drops by mouth Liquid by mouth Intramuscular injection to the left thigh Intramuscular injection to the right thigh Intramuscular injection to the right thigh
10 weeks	DTP-IPV/Hib Hepatitis B	Intramuscular injection to the left thigh Intramuscular injection to the right thigh
14 weeks	RV DTP-IPV/Hib Hepatitis B PCV₇	Liquid by mouth Intramuscular injection to the left thigh Intramuscular injection to the right thigh Intramuscular injection to the right thigh
9 months	Measles PCV₇	Intramuscular injection to the left thigh Intramuscular injection to the right thigh
18 months	DTP-IPV/Hib Measles	Intramuscular injection to the left arm Intramuscular injection to the right arm
6 years (both boys and girls)	Td	Intramuscular injection to the left arm
12 years (both boys and girls)	Td	Intramuscular injection to the left arm

Source: South African Vaccination and Immunisation Centre

BCG – Bacilli Calmete-Guerin (Anti-tuberculosis vaccine)

TOPV – Trivalent oral polio vaccine

DTP-IPV/Hib – diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis vaccine, inactivated polio vaccine, Haemophilus influenza type b vaccine

Td – tetanus and diphtheria vaccine

RV - rotavirus vaccine

PCV₇- 7-valent pneumococcal vaccine

These vaccinations are available at government clinics and from private sector health facilities, but at a cost. There are also additional vaccinations, such as the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, which should be done at 15 months and again as a booster at five years. Keep a record of your child’s vaccinations as schools may ask for proof of immunisation when you register.

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