Department of Health - Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District

07/10/2026

10/09/2026

[In Pictures📸] The Provincial Department of Health together with Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District hosted African Traditional Medicine and Heritage Day in Greater Taung Sub-district at MM Sebitloane Special School.

04/09/2026

⚠️All children between 6 months and 5 years should receive Vitamin A and medicine every 6 months to help keep them strong and healthy!

☑️ Vitamin A boosts immunity, supports healthy growth and is also good for your baby's eyesight.

☑️ Deworming helps prevent infections & improves nutrition.

☑️Check with your local clinic to make sure your child is up to date!

🛑 Remember, it is important to wash your hands with clean water and soap after using the toilet, changing nappies, before preparing meals and before feeding your little one.

01/09/2026

📢Calling for urgent action to halt declining
immunisation coverage and prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD) with potential to reverse decades of public health gains, including significant reductions in under-five and infant mortality achieved since the mid-2000s.

The proportion of unvaccinated infants (children under one year receiving no vaccinations) has increased from 12.1% in 2017 to an alarming 36.3% between
January and April 2026 – effectively tripling the number of completely unvaccinated children and leaving hundreds of thousands of infants at risk of life-threatening
illnesses.

Routine coverage has fallen severely across all 52 districts in the country. First-dose coverage among children under one year dropped from 87% in 2021 to 67% in 2025.
Coverage of the Hexavalent (6-in-1) infant vaccine declined from 87% to 60.5% over the same period.

At current rates, South Africa is unlikely to reach the World Health
Organization’s critical 90% coverage threshold for childhood immunisation, unless urgent interventions are implemented, and these include parents and families taking their unvaccinated children to the health facilities and healthcare providers for
immunisation.

The consequences of declining coverage include the resurgence of serious vaccine-preventable diseases, erosion of community (herd) immunity, and higher
rates of long-term disability and death among infants. This is no longer a theoretical risk because active outbreaks are occurring in multiple provinces across the country.

Since January 2026, South Africa has recorded 3,462 laboratory-confirmed measles
cases, with outbreaks reported in the Western Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape and other provinces. The majority of cases (70.9%) are in children aged 1–14 years, directly linked to low immunisation coverage.

The Department underscores the importance of ensuring that South Africans remain protected from polio in line with our status as a polio-free country. This is despite the recent confirmation of imported polio virus strains detected in wastewater in Cape
Town. South Africa maintained a polio-free status since 2014.

Sporadic cases of Diphtheria – a serious bacterial infection of the nose and throat that
can obstruct breathing, have been detected, primarily in the Western Cape, underscoring gaps in booster coverage and disease surveillance. Pertussis (whooping cough) cases have also been identified in several provinces, predominantly affecting
infants under six months who are too young to be fully vaccinated.

This pattern signals a failure of herd immunity to protect the most vulnerable. Nearly 400 Rubella (German measles) cases have been recorded, mostly among children aged 1–14 years in several parts of the country. This poses severe risks for pregnant women due to the potential for Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS).

The decline in routine immunisation rates has created a public health emergency characterised by childhood disease outbreaks. Addressing it requires coordinated
action across all sectors of society, with particular emphasis on engaging families and communities where vaccination rates are lowest. Unvaccinated children can endanger infants and immunocompromised individuals who cannot be vaccinated, and weak coverage undermines early detection and rapid response to emerging threats.

The Department is prioritising an immediate, coordinated national response, including catch-up vaccination campaigns targeting children who have missed doses and under-immunised cohorts in all districts. The public is urged to rely on official government platforms for accurate immunisation information and to disregard unverified claims and misinformation circulating on social media platforms.

The Department secures adequate vaccine supplies and maintains cold-chain infrastructure nationwide to ensure no child is left behind due to access constraints.
All vaccines used in South Africa are evaluated and registered by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), confirming their safety and
effectiveness.

Parents, caregivers and communities are strongly encouraged to protect their children against vaccine-preventable diseases by visiting the nearest healthcare facility or provider for routine and catch-up immunisations.

Disease outbreaks can disrupt children’s early development through prolonged school
absence and reduced access to structured learning, with potential negative effects on mental well-being. Families also bear significant burdens: parents may need to stay home when children are excluded from school or fall ill, leading to lost wages and
employment instability. Every child deserves protection, and safeguarding them is a
collective responsibility.

Media enquiries:
Mr Foster Mohale
Departmental Spokesperson
072 432 3792 | [email protected]

Mr Sello Lediga
Health Ministry Spokesperson
082 353 9859 | [email protected]

South African Government GCIS LifeLine South Africa BWise

01/09/2026

Health department urges parents to rush unvaccinated children to clinics as coverage falls. .

Read more⬇️
https://brnw.ch/21x5ffO

01/09/2026

Tune in 📻🎚️

01/09/2026

01/09/2026

[In Pictures📸] 🌸 WHEN APPRECIATION BECOMES A GESTURE OF HEART 🌸

Some moments may be reported late, but genuine appreciation is never late. On the 27th of August 2026, as we brought Women’s Month to a close, our male colleagues reminded us that celebrating women is not confined to a calendar date. It is about recognising, affirming and honouring the women who contribute every day, often while navigating challenges that are not always visible.

At Lahspity Guest House, what began as a surprise became a memorable afternoon of reflection, encouragement, inspiration and celebration🎉.

To our male colleagues, thank you. 🙏❤️

Thank you for coming together, sacrificing your time and contributing from your hard-earned resources to make this occasion possible. Your gesture demonstrated thoughtfulness, teamwork and genuine appreciation. More than the event itself, it was the intention behind it that touched us, the decision to pause and say to the women around you: “We see you. We value you. We appreciate you.”✊👊

The programme brought together voices that spoke to the different dimensions of a woman's journey.

🎤 Ms Modise, our gracious programme director, steered the proceedings with warmth and professionalism, creating an atmosphere in which everyone could participate and feel celebrated.

🙏🏽 Ms. KP. Bok grounded the gathering in spirituality, drawing from the Proverbs passage about the virtuous woman. Her message reminded us that women may not always have the privilege of choosing the challenges they encounter, but they have the strength and courage to choose how they respond to those challenges. It was a powerful reminder of resilience, dignity and perseverance.

🎗️🩺 Dr J. Kekesi brought an important public health perspective to the celebration. Her presentation touched on Vaccination which is currently a national health challenge, the continued burden of communicable diseases, while placing particular emphasis on women's health, including cervical cancer and HPV. Her message was a timely reminder that celebrating women must also mean empowering them with knowledge to prioritise their health, make informed decisions, embrace prevention and wellbeing.

🌟 Ms. MV. Dithejane, Director at the Department of Education, delivered a deeply moving motivational message. Her reflections, including aspects of her personal journey, demonstrated that behind every accomplished woman is often a story of perseverance, difficult seasons, growth and determination.

She reminded us that we live in a world that is not perfect and that can sometimes attempt to break us. Yet, our circumstances do not have to define our destiny. She further said a woman of substance and calibre has the ability to uplift others, inspire others, restore hope and rejuvenate the spirit of those around her. Her strength becomes strength for others. AMANDLA💪

💫 DDG: Ms Tsholofelo Adelekan challenged us to keep moving forward, to encourage ourselves, rise above adversity, continue pushing regardless of the circumstances and remain willing to learn from every season and every walk of life.

Her message was a reminder that growth does not only happen during comfortable seasons. Sometimes, our greatest lessons are found in the seasons that test us the most.

🏆🏅One of the most meaningful moments was hearing Mr Gaetsosiwe share the story behind the surprise, how the men came together, contributed and worked collectively to make the event possible.

🎖️That story deserves recognition, because leadership is not always found in titles. Sometimes, leadership is found in a group of people deciding to do something meaningful for others, without expecting anything in return. It was a demonstration of thoughtfulness, solidarity, generosity and purposeful leadership.

🧑‍🎓In the spirit of Stoic philosophy: "Character is not measured by what we say, but how we choose to act, particularly when our actions are guided by virtue, generosity and a sense of responsibility rather than the recognition."

🤵To every man who contributed to making this celebration possible: We thank you. We appreciate you. We honour your thoughtfulness. 🌹 Your gesture reminded us that when men and women intentionally create spaces to uplift one another, workplaces become more than places where we simply fulfil our responsibilities. They become communities where people feel valued, supported and inspired.

💃 And to the women who were celebrated, may we carry the messages of that day beyond August.
May we continue to rise above challenges. May we continue to encourage one another.
May we continue to learn in every season.
May we continue to walk with courage and dignity.
May we continue to uplift those who come after us and may we never underestimate the influence we have on the lives of others.

🌷 August may have come to an end, but the celebration of women must never end.

The post may be late. The reporting may be stale, but the gratitude is still fresh. ❤️

To our phenomenal male colleagues.
Thank you for giving us more than an event. Thank you for giving us a moment to feel seen, valued, celebrated and reminded of who we are.

Here’s to women of strength, women of substance, women of resilience—and to the men who recognise, support and celebrate them. 🥂🌸

13/08/2026