South Africa’s health authorities have raised concerns over a steep decline in routine childhood vaccinations, warning that thousands of babies are increasingly vulnerable to preventable diseases.
The country’s Health Department said the proportion of children under one year who had received no vaccinations rose to 36 percent by April 2026, compared with 12 percent in 2017.
The department described the trend as a serious public health concern and called for urgent measures to reverse the decline.
Hundreds Of Thousands Of Babies At Risk
Health officials warned that the drop in immunisation coverage is putting hundreds of thousands of infants at risk of potentially life-threatening illnesses.
Nonhlanhla Fikile Ndlovu, a deputy director in the Health Department, said vaccine hesitancy had received greater attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, although vaccination rates had already been falling before then.
She said younger parents who grew up when diseases such as measles were uncommon may not fully appreciate the importance of routine childhood vaccination.
Measles Cases Surge
The decline in vaccination coverage is already being linked to outbreaks of preventable diseases across South Africa.
The Health Department said the country has recorded more than 3,460 laboratory-confirmed measles cases since January 2026, with outbreaks reported in several provinces.
Most of the measles cases have been recorded among children between the ages of one and 14.
Authorities have also reported nearly 400 cases of rubella, alongside infections involving whooping cough and sporadic cases of diphtheria.
Officials Warn Of Public Health Emergency
The Health Department said the falling immunisation rate has contributed to a growing public health emergency, with outbreaks of diseases that had previously been kept under control through vaccination programmes.
Officials are now urging parents and caregivers to ensure that children receive their recommended vaccines on schedule.
Routine childhood vaccinations are provided free of charge at public health facilities across South Africa, with the first doses administered shortly after birth.
Call For Greater Awareness
Health officials believe misinformation and declining awareness about childhood diseases are among the factors contributing to the vaccination gap.
Ndlovu urged authorities and health workers to intensify public education, particularly among young parents, about the benefits of immunisation.
The government is now facing pressure to restore vaccination coverage before preventable diseases spread further and undermine decades of progress in protecting South African children.
