Be wise, immunise

National Immunisation Awareness Week, 1 - 7 August

When GEMS member Fatima Pillay* fetched her five-year-old son, Kishor, from school one afternoon, he said something that made her wonder how different life would be if it weren't for immunisation. Kishor wanted to know about polio, a disease that just twenty years ago was feared by millions. Fortunately, he will never have to worry about contracting polio because this is one of the many life-threatening illnesses against which he has been immunised.

As part of the Government Employees Medical Scheme's (GEMS) on-going effort to educate our members and future members on a range of healthcare topics, we would like to share real life member stories and their outcomes with you. This article explores the subject of immunisation this National Immunisation Awareness Week.

Stopping dangerous illnesses in their tracks
Immunisation is one of the most powerful weapons in preventing diseases from infecting individuals and spreading from one individual to another. Immunisation is typically done with the administration of a vaccine, which triggers the production of antibodies that protect against that particular illness in the body. There are a number of vaccines available for various diseases and they are usually very effective in preventing these diseases or at least making their symptoms much less severe.

Immunisation is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways of avoiding certain illnesses, some of which are extremely dangerous. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), immunisation has a highly positive impact on the health of the global community, preventing between two and three million deaths annually.

Keeping our children safe
While a number of different vaccines exist, many of which are for adults, the vaccination of children remains one of the most important healthcare issues today. "As a mother, the safety of my child is my absolute priority," says Fatima. "I am thankful for the ability to protect my kids from illnesses that have in the past devastated the lives of thousands of children."

Many serious childhood diseases are avoided with routine vaccinations that are recommended for all children. Certain of these illnesses have become so uncommon that some people have never even heard of them, such as polio, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis B, and meningitis caused by haemophilius influenzae type B (Hib).

These diseases can result in serious illness and even death in children as well as in adults and it is for this reason that vaccination is so important. The South African Department of Health estimates that since the introduction of these vaccines, the rate of these illnesses has decreased by 90%.

For childhood vaccines to be most effective, they must be given at particular ages and specific intervals. For example, children should get their first MMR shot against measles, mumps and rubella no earlier than 12 months of age, but before they are 15 months old; a second dose should be given when they are between four and six-years-old.

Below is the recommended immunisation schedule for children between 0 and six years, according to the Department of Health.

It is important to remember your 'Road-to-Health' chart when you take your baby to the clinic or pediatrician for vaccinations. This chart will be provided to you when your baby goes for his or her first immunisation. All the baby's health details are recorded on this chart, e.g. birth weight, height and Apgar score. Each time your baby is vaccinated, the information will be added to this chart. Keep the chart in a safe place, as you will need it when your little baby goes to "big" school.

For the good of the community
It is best for whole families and communities to be protected from infectious diseases. The more people that are immunised or who have a natural resistance to an infectious disease, the less likely each individual is to catch it because the illness will not be able to spread from person-to-person in the community. This is called ‘herd' immunity.

In order for vaccinations to provide herd immunity a certain percentage of the community needs to be immunised. If too few members of the community are immunised it can lead to an infectious outbreak such as the polio outbreak experienced in Nigeria in 2003. Polio is a debilitating disease that typically leads to some sort of paralysis and can even result in death. The outbreak spread to a number of other polio free countries, resulting in a total of 1 517 new cases that could have been avoided had vaccination been administered.

Other vaccinations
While everyone should receive the national routine vaccinations, it is sometimes important to be immunised against other illnesses as well. For example, if traveling anywhere outside of South Africa you should always check with your doctor to see if there are any vaccinations that you may need before leaving the country. This is because there are certain illnesses that are not a concern in South Africa but do occur in other countries, such as yellow fever, a dangerous illness that can be contracted in certain parts of Africa and South America.

Other types of vaccination are not part of the routine immunisation schedule but should be seriously considered. One of these is the vaccination against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) - a sexually transmitted disease that is the leading cause of cervical cancer. HPV also causes a number of cancers in men as well as other illnesses, including genital warts. It is recommended that the HPV vaccine be administered during adolescence.

Fatima points out that while vaccination against HPV in teenagers can be a controversial topic for some parents, it is important to consider what may happen to your child if you do not take action. "I considered having my 15-year-old daughter vaccinated against HPV, even though she is not yet sexually active. Our GP recommended that she receive the vaccine now as a preventative measure that could protect her from a devastating illness in the future. After discussing it as a family there was no doubt in our minds that it was the right thing to do."

Take control
"There are so many terrible illnesses out there that can affect our lives, but many of these can be avoided with vaccination. As a mother this gives me great comfort and I always make sure that my children have had the vaccinations that are recommended for them," notes Fatima.

Immunisation affords effective protection against a range of illnesses. South Africans are therefore encouraged to take control by having themselves and their children immunised against those diseases for which there are effective vaccines available. Ask your doctor or nurse which vaccinations you and your family should receive.

If you would like to know how GEMS can assist you to obtain more information about any of your healthcare needs, you can phone the GEMS call centre on 0860 00 4367 or send a SMS to 083 450 4367. GEMS will assist you in every way possible to ensure your family's health and well-being.

Sources:
5. The World Health Organisation, www.who.int 
6. The South African Department of Health, www.doh.gov.za
7. The South African Vaccination and Immunisation Centre, www.savic.ac.za
8. The Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.com

*The member's name has been changed in order to protect her identity and that of her children.