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Vaccine-preventable childhood illnesses: Front Shop Module 5, 2016
Vaccines are important as they reduce the rate of illness and deaths related to vaccine-preventable illnesses.
Many children in South Africa have benefitted from the Expanded Programme on Immunisation launched in South Africa and the morbidity (rate of disease in the population) and mortality (death) from childhood infectious diseases has been improved. According to statistics from the national Department of Health, since the introduction of these vaccines, rates of diseases such as polio, measles, hepatitis B, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and meningitis caused by haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) have declined in some cases by up to 90%.
Vaccinating children against infectious childhood diseases not only gives the vaccinated child protection against the disease, it also provides protection for the communities in which they live. Pharmacy staff will be enabled to engage with parents and customers and dispel common myths about vaccination while presenting the true facts.
