A shot of reality: City sounds alarm as childhood vaccination rates plummet

Health officials in Cape Town have issued a stark warning to parents and caregivers following a significant slump in childhood immunisation rates, leaving the city’s youngest residents are dangerously exposed to preventable, life-threatening outbreaks.

The alert was delivered by Mayco member for Community Services and Health, Francine Higham,  during a World Immunisation Week event at Eastridge Clinic in Mitchells Plain, where she met with families to reinforce the message that "vaccines work for every generation."

The scale of the decline has sparked deep concern within City Health. Between July 2025 and March 2026, healthcare workers administered 294,894 vaccine doses to children up to the age of 12—a notable drop from the 310,786 doses recorded in the previous comparative period. Most alarmingly, the number of fully immunised children under the age of one has decreased by 3.6%, creating a "protection gap" that invites the return of diseases once thought to be under control.

“World Immunisation Day is not only about vaccines, but it is also about people, families and the shared responsibility we carry to protect one another,” Councillor Higham said. Addressing the caregivers at Eastridge Clinic, she was candid about the risks: “We have large groups of children who are under-vaccinated and who are subsequently vulnerable to vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, especially measles. This is a serious concern that requires all of us to work together.”

The current data suggests that many children are now vulnerable to a host of "forgotten" illnesses, including measles, diphtheria, polio, and pneumonia. Recent local spikes in measles and diphtheria have already demonstrated how rapidly these pathogens can move through a community when collective immunity begins to fray.

Beyond the clinical statistics, Higham emphasised the social and emotional weight of childhood health. “Immunisation is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways we can protect our children and communities,” she explained. “Vaccines shield children from diseases that once caused great suffering... they also give parents peace of mind and allow children to grow, play, learn and thrive.”

For those who have fallen behind on the official schedule, the City’s message is one of reassurance rather than reprimand. Officials stressed that it is never too late for a child to receive their "catch-up" doses.

“If a child has missed a vaccination, it is not too late,” Higham added. “Our clinics are here, our healthcare workers are ready to help, and we walk this journey with families. The first 1,000 days of a child’s life are critical.”

To bridge the gap, City Health is urging parents to dust off their ‘Road to Health’ booklets and make use of the City’s online appointment system to avoid long queues. As World Immunisation Week continues through to 30 April, the City’s plea is clear: by vaccinating a single child, a family is not just protecting their own, but helping to safeguard siblings, neighbours, and the entire community.