MEDICAL experts are fearing a resurgence of potentially fatal childhood infectious diseases.
This, according to the Department of Health, after childhood immunisation coverage in South Africa decreased dramatically over the past year, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Immunisation programmes were unexpectedly disrupted to ease the burden on the healthcare system and in line with lockdown measures.
This brought on an alarming decrease in child immunisation, from 82% in April 2019 to a mere 61% one year later. This is a global issue.
Parents fear contracting coronavirus by visiting healthcare facilities.
But this trend can be reversed. Doctors are offering advice to individuals who have questions or who are uncertain, with the hope of raising awareness this coming World Pneumonia Day (12 November).
Parents are urged to raise concerns with their family practitioners around the importance of vaccination to manage pneumonia.
