Childhood immunisation coverage falls sharply in SA

Original Article by TimesLIVE | 27 August 2026

Childhood immunisation coverage is falling sharply in SA as measles and other diseases spread. See why health officials are concerned.

Image | Riccardo Niels Mayer | Adobe Stock/453779681

Childhood immunisation coverage is falling sharply in SA as measles and other diseases spread. See why health officials are concerned.

Subscription Required

You must be a subscriber to access all of this content.

Already a subscriber? Log in here

Dr Thembisile Xulu is the new health Director-General, inheriting a strained department, healthcare-worker shortages and NHI litigation.

Gauteng is losing 100 nurses a month and needs R5.7bn to fill a 16,000-post gap. This shortage now flagged as a key risk to the NHI rollout.

Regulation, not demand, blocks affordable cover: medical schemes should be allowed to offer low-cost benefit options (LCBOs) now.