🇿🇦 South Africa childhood vaccination schedule

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 school-age 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. Enter your child's date of birth below to see an approximate personalised timeline.

Reading the timeline

Ages such as "8 weeks" or "12 months" are the recommended target ages. In practice, appointments can fall a little before or after, and being a few weeks late is common and easily caught up - contact your local service rather than waiting for the next scheduled set. Where a vaccine needs several doses, each one builds on the last; the immune protection is only complete once the full course (including any booster) is given.

If your child is behind

Almost every dose still counts no matter how much time has passed, and there is a catch-up route for children who have missed vaccines or who have moved from another country. Bring whatever record you have to a GP or clinic and they will work out the shortest path back onto the schedule.