How to book in South Africa
Vaccinations are given free at your nearest public clinic or Primary Health Care facility. No appointment is usually needed - bring your child's Road to Health booklet on every visit. Private GPs and pharmacies also offer the schedule.
National Department of Health - facilitiesTap any milestone to expand it. Each vaccine explains what it is, the diseases it prevents, and why it is given at that age.
BirthNewborn3 vaccines
Given at birth because TB is common in South Africa. BCG does not stop all TB but strongly protects babies against the most dangerous forms, including TB meningitis.
Polio drops at birth give very early protection against a virus that can cause permanent paralysis.
Given at birth to prevent mother-to-baby spread of hepatitis B, which usually becomes a lifelong liver infection when caught in infancy.
6 weeksNewborn4 vaccines
One injection against six diseases, including whooping cough and Hib meningitis, which hit young babies hardest.
An extra polio dose alongside the injected polio in the hexavalent shot.
Prevents the severe diarrhoea illness that is a major cause of young-child hospital admissions and deaths in South Africa. Must not be given after 24 weeks.
Protects against pneumococcus, one of the biggest causes of childhood pneumonia deaths worldwide.
10 weeksNewborn1 vaccine
Second dose of the six-in-one.
14 weeksNewborn3 vaccines
Third dose of the six-in-one.
The final rotavirus dose.
Second pneumococcal dose.
6 monthsInfant1 vaccine
South Africa gives an early measles-rubella dose at 6 months because measles outbreaks still happen and young infants can become very ill. Rubella in pregnancy can seriously harm an unborn baby.
9 monthsInfant1 vaccine
The pneumococcal booster.
12 monthsToddler1 vaccine
The second measles-rubella dose, needed for reliable lifelong protection.
18 monthsToddler1 vaccine
A booster around 18 months that carries protection into the pre-school years.
6 yearsChild1 vaccine
A school-entry booster against tetanus and diphtheria.
Grade 5 (around 9-10 years)Child1 vaccine
Delivered through school campaigns to Grade 5 girls. Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in South African women, so this vaccine is a major public-health priority.
12 yearsTeen1 vaccine
The final routine tetanus and diphtheria booster of childhood.
Given in addition to the routine schedule, for children who meet certain criteria.
When: From 6 months, every 6 months
Who: Given alongside vaccines at clinic visits as part of child health services.
When: Various ages
Who: Paediatricians and pharmacies in the private sector offer the full MMR, chickenpox, hepatitis A, meningococcal, and influenza vaccines that are not on the free state schedule.
How South Africa compares with other countries for each vaccine, and the side effects that are normal.
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About the South Africa schedule
South Africa's Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI-SA) provides childhood vaccines free at public clinics. The schedule is set by the National Department of Health with advice from the National Advisory Group on Immunisation (NAGI).
Vaccinations start at birth with BCG and oral polio drops, then continue at 6, 10 and 14 weeks, at 6, 9, 12 and 18 months, and with tetanus-diphtheria boosters at 6 and 12 years. A school-based HPV campaign reaches girls in Grade 5.
Take your child's Road to Health booklet to every visit.
How South Africa compares
South Africa's routine schedule protects against 12 diseases across 11 vaccination ages, 6 of them in the first year. By age 2 a child has had about 15 vaccine doses, including oral drops against polio and rotavirus.
Less common elsewhere: South Africa routinely vaccinates against Tuberculosis (BCG), which fewer than half of the other 13 countries on this site include for every child.
Not routine here: Mumps; Chickenpox (offered to some children - see the extra vaccines above); Meningococcal C; Meningococcal A, W, Y are routine in most of the other countries we cover but not on South Africa's schedule for every child.
Compare South Africa with any other country, disease by disease.
Behind schedule or new to South Africa? Almost every dose still counts, and your clinic can plan a catch-up - see common questions.