Health department warns of immunisation decline

Outbreaks of measles, rubella and other preventable diseases are already spreading through several provinces, due to declining childhood vaccination rates. This has triggered a public health emergency, with the Department of Health calling for an immediate national response to declining childhood immunisation rates. The department says the decline could reverse decades of public health gains, including significant reductions in infant and under-five mortality achieved since the mid-2000s. The proportion of infants receiving no vaccinations at all has risen dramatically over the past decade. To discuss the implications of this, we are now joined by a Member of Ministerial Advisory Committee on Child Immunisation at the National Department of Health, Dr Waasila Jassat and Professor of Vaccinology at Wits University Shabir Madhi. For more news, visit sabcnews.com and #SABCNews on all Social Media platforms.