Babies are vaccinated soon after birth. After six weeks they attend a clinic (i.e. M-KEM’s Baby Clinic) where they receive a series of 3 sets of vaccines, 4 weeks apart, as determined by the states EPI programme or by the private paediatricians. At 9 months, the very important Measles vaccination is administered followed by the 15 and 18 month recommended vaccines. (If available) certain of these vaccines are supplied by the state. Unfortunately, if not available from the state, these expensive vaccines are paid for either privately or by medical aids.
Pre-school vaccination (from the age of 6 yrs.) is also compulsory and supplied at M-KEM’s Clinic. Optional vaccines for children are for Chicken Pox, Hepatitis A and Measles, Mumps and German measles (MMR).
*A consultation fee is charged whether the vaccination is private or state supplied.
Travellers usually require vaccinations for example Yellow Fever, Hepatitis, Typhoid, and Rabies etc. depending on the country and the traveller’s specific needs. M-KEM’s Travel Clinic is licenced by the department of Health and is a member of the South African Society for Travel Medicine.
Rather controversial is the vaccination given for the Human Pappilomavirus (HPV) which can be given to girls and boys from the age of 9 years.
It is recommended that people who are in certain occupations, where physical contact with other humans is necessary (nurses, doctors, skin care therapists, people participating in contact sports) need to take special precautions. In case of the event of an outbreak of Meningitis, individuals who could be infected by the carrier are those that operate in a group dynamic such as students or religious groups (e.g. Haj) should be vaccinated as a preventative measure.
Last but not least, one should be aware of the fact that due to mass vaccination with the ‘Flu’ vaccine the incident of ‘Flu’ infection and the resultant impact has not been catastrophic.
Footnote: The above is general overview only as specific vaccines not mentioned in this article are administered in specific circumstances.