Keeping track of your baby's vaccinations is important to protect them from infections. Set reminders on your calendar to stay on top of it.

Modern vaccines are safe and effective. The most common side-effects are mild and short-lived, like a fever, irritability, swelling, redness, or pain from the shot. Serious complications from vaccines are very rare, so they should not be a reason to avoid immunising your child.

Your baby will get their first vaccinations for polio and tuberculosis at the hospital during their first check-up. You’ll receive a Road to Health booklet, which is very important and cannot be replaced, so keep it safe. Be sure to bring it to all doctor visits and future vaccinations to keep a record of your baby's treatment.

Expanded programme on immunisation

Vaccinations are free at state clinics, but parents can choose to follow the private vaccination schedule – either fully or to supplement the government programme.

You can get the private vaccination schedule at your nearest Mediclinic hospital. Dr Kgomotso L. Sanyane, a specialist paediatrician at Mediclinic Muelmed, provides a list of what’s included, which covers both state-funded and private vaccines:

At birth

Recommended vaccinations:

  • BCG against tuberculosis (free at government clinics)
  • OPV (0) Oral polio vaccine (free at government clinics)
  • Engerix-B (optional) or Euvax (optional) or SIl Hepatitis B vaccine (free at government clinics) for: Hepatitis B. (This vaccine is for babies who are exposed to the Hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) at birth.)

Optional vaccinations:

n/a

6 weeks

Recommended vaccinations:

  • Bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) for: Polio (free at government clinics)
  • Hexaxim (free at government clinics) for: Diphtheria | Tetanus | Polio | Pertussis | Haemophilus influenzae | Hepatitis B
  • PCV-10 Cipla (free at government clinics) for: Pneumococcal
  • Rotarix (free at government clinics) for: Rotavirus

Optional vaccinations:

  • Prevenar 13 or Synflorix for: Pneumococcal
  • RotaTeq® for: Rotavirus

8 weeks

Recommended vaccinations:

n/a

Optional vaccinations:

  • Infanrix®-hexa for: Diphtheria | Tetanus | Polio | Pertussis | Haemophilus influenzae | Hepatitis B

10 weeks

Recommended vaccinations:

  • Hexaxim (free at government clinics) for: Diphtheria | Tetanus | Polio | Pertussis | Haemophilus influenzae | Hepatitis B

Optional vaccinations:

  • Prevenar 13 for: Pneumococcal
  • RotaTeq® for: Rotavirus

12 weeks

Recommended vaccinations:

n/a

Optional vaccinations:

  • Infanrix®-hexa for: Diphtheria | Tetanus | Polio | Pertussis | Haemophilus influenzae | Hepatitis B

14 weeks

Recommended vaccinations:

  • Hexaxim (free at government clinics) for: Diphtheria | Tetanus | Polio | Pertussis | Haemophilus influenzae | Hepatitis B
  • PCV-10 Cipla (free at government clinics) for: Pneumococcal
  • Rotarix (free at government clinics) for: Rotavirus

Optional vaccinations:

  • Prevenar 13 (optional) or Synflorix for: Pneumococcal
  • RotaTeq® (optional) for: Rotavirus

16 weeks

Recommended vaccinations:

n/a

Optional vaccinations:

  • Infanrix®-hexa for: Diphtheria | Tetanus | Polio | Pertussis | Haemophilus influenzae | Hepatitis B

6 months

Recommended vaccinations:

  • MR SII (free at government clinics) for: Measles | Rubella measles

Optional vaccinations:

  • Cipla-Measles for: Measles | Rubella measles

9 months

Recommended vaccinations:

  • PCV-10 Cipla (free at government clinics) for: Pneumococcal

Optional vaccinations:

  • Menactra for: Meningococcal

9.5 months

Recommended vaccinations:

n/a

Optional vaccinations:

  • Synflorix (Official recommendations should be followed when immunising with Synflorix.)

12 months

Recommended vaccinations:

  • MR SII (free at government clinics) for: Measles | Rubella measles

Optional vaccinations:

  • Prevenar 13 for pneumococcal (administered at 12-15 months)
  • Priorix or Omzyta® for: Measles | Mumps | Rubella
  • Havrix or Avaxim 80 for: Hepatitis A (administered at least 6 months apart)

15 months

Recommended vaccinations:

n/a

Optional vaccinations:

  • Prevenar 13 for: Pneumococcal (administered at 12-15 months)
  • Varilrix or Onvara® for: Chickenpox
  • Menactra for: Meningococcal (for individuals aged 2-55 years, 1 dose administered)

18 months

Recommended vaccinations:

  • Hexaxim (free at government clinics) for: Diphtheria | Tetanus | Polio | Pertussis | Haemophilus influenzae | Hepatitis B

Optional vaccinations:

  • Infanrix®-hexa (optional) for: Diphtheria | Tetanus | Polio | Pertussis | Haemophilus influenzae | Hepatitis B
  • Havrix or Avaxim 80 for: Hepatitis A (administered at least 6 months apart)

6 years

Recommended vaccinations:

  • Tdap (free at government clinics) for: Tetanus | Diphtheria | Pertussis with or without polio

Optional vaccinations:

  • Priorix or Omzyta® for: Measles | Mumps | Rubella
  • Varilrix or Onvara® for: Chickenpox
  • Tetraxim or Boostrix tetra or Adacel Quadra or Boostrix or Tdap for: Tetanus | Diphtheria | Pertussis with or without polio

9 years

Recommended vaccinations:

  • Cervarix (free at government clinics) for: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
  •  For ages 9–14 years, 2 doses administered 6 months apart. As part of the state programme, Grade 4 girls in public schools aged 9–14 years receive Cervarix in 2 doses, 6 months apart.

Optional vaccinations:

  • Gardasil® (optional) or Gardasil® 9 (optional) for: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
  • Gardasil: For ages 9–13 years, 2 doses administered 6 months apart.
  • Gardasil 9: For ages 9–14 years, 2 doses administered 5–13 months apart.

12 years

Recommended vaccinations:

  • Tdap (free at government clinics) for: Tetanus | Diphtheria | Pertussis with or without polio

Optional vaccinations:

  • Adacel Quadra or Boostrix for: Tetanus | Diphtheria | Pertussis with or without polio