Itumeleng Mafisa

City of Johannesburg officials have urged parents to protect their children from disease.

The mayoral committee member for health and social development, Nonceba Molwele, said: “We encourage parents and caregivers to ensure that children are receiving necessary vaccinations as recommended by the health department. We believe that early vaccination is the best defence against many vaccine-preventable diseases, such as pneumococcal, measles, tuberculosis and rubella.

“Despite efforts made to raise awareness about the benefits of routine immunisation, a few children remain unvaccinated.”

Molwele said all children between 18 months and 35 months would receive an extra dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) 13 at their clinic or day care institution free of charge.

“Immunisation has been proven to prevent life-threatening and life-ending infections in children, and they are available, free of charge, to all children in the City of Johannesburg clinics.”

It is estimated that up to one million children under five die from pneumococcal diseases annually worldwide.

itumelengm@thenewage.co.za