Government vs private immunisations – what’s the difference?

You’re well aware of the costs that come with having a baby and raising children.

Once over the hurdle of costly prenatal medical care comes the new baby expenses. One of these costs is the regular baby immunisations.

According to the department of health: “Immunisation stimulates the immune system to provide protection against specific infections. Immunisation helps to strengthen your child’s immune system to fight diseases like polio, measles, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tuberculosis (TB) and meningitis.”

Parents have a choice of two immunisations, and one is available free at state clinics. They can opt for the free vaccinations that are available at government institutions to all infants and children up to the age of 12 years in South Africa or they can pay for private vaccinations on the private vaccination schedule and healthcare system.

There is absolutely no difference between the two vaccinations, one is subsidised by government and the other is not. 

These are the facts about vaccinations and private vs government immunisation

• The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) was initiated in 1974 by the 27th World Health Assembly to ensure that all children in all countries benefit from lifesaving vaccines.
• The current public EPI vaccination schedule provides protection against 11 infections and includes the human papillomavirus vaccine that was introduced in 2014 and delivered jointly by the EPI and Integrated School Health Programme as an outreach to schools.
• There’s a public and private vaccination schedule available – the two differ slightly.
• The public EPI vaccines should be available at all public health facilities as part of the free health services for women and children.
• The free public EPI vaccines are also available at most private pharmacies like Clicks and Dis-Chem.
• Private vaccination schedule South Africa: Although all vaccinations should follow the EPI schedule as closely as possible, additional vaccines and products available in the private sector, calls for a schedule that may differ slightly, based on the choice and registration of the product.
• There are additional products that are available in the private sector to vaccinate against antigens as contained in the EPI schedule.
• There are vaccines that are not included in the public EPI vaccination schedule and may be obtained in the private sector schedule.

For details on the vaccines available on the different schedules:

• The public vaccination schedule is available for download: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/assets/departments/health/2016_schedule.pdf
• The private vaccination schedule is available for download from the following link: http://www.amayeza-info.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018-schedule-updated.pdf

Source: The Department of Health; The what, why and when of childhood vaccination in South Africa – 2019