​After months of defaulting from the child immunisation programme, two six-year-old children of Lindiwe Rampyapedi (33) now have protection to fight against infectious diseases. 
This comes after they finally received their doses of the Td (Tetanus Diphtheria) vaccine during the Gauteng Department of Health's (GDoH) catch-up immunisation programme  at Freedom Square (Phuma Silwe) informal settlement in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni. The vaccine prevents tetanus  which cause painful stiffening of muscles and diphtheria which can lead to difficulty breathing, heart failure, paralysis or death.
Rampyapedi said that her children defaulted on their routine immunisation as per the Road to Health card due to various reasons including the lack of time to take her children to the clinic. 
"I am happy that my children finally got their immunisation doses to protect them against infectious diseases. Sometimes we go to the local clinic and find out that the particular vaccine we went there for is not available on the day and we end up not getting a chance to go again. However, I am grateful that the Department has brought these services to us," said Rampyapedi. 
The catch-up immunisation programme at Freedom Square comes after the MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko's visit to the neighbouring Sethokga Hostel in the previous week. She discovered then that there was a high number of children who had missed their routine immunisation and a significant number of people who have defaulted on their HIV and TB treatment who are residents from the informal settlement. 
During the catch-up immunisation programme, a total of 69 children at the informal settlement received their doses including the measles and Tetanus Diphtheria vaccines, Vitamin A and deworming tablets amongst others. 
The GDoH also rendered a basket of health services for the much older community members which include STI and HIV testing, hypertension and diabetes screening, Pap Smear, family planning and Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). 
Over 150 people tested for STIs, HIV, hypertension and diabetes while six (6) did Pap smear screening and five (5) received an implant contraceptive device for prevention of pregnancy, and one person got initiated on PrEP to protect against HIV infection.
MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko said that the GDoH has intensified this programme to take health services to the doorstep of communities across the province, particularly those living in townships, informal settlements and hostels. 
"As part of the provincial government's elevated priorities, we are taking health services straight to communities to ensure that we educate them about health and wellness, leading healthy lifestyles and ensuring that their stick to their treatment regime to improve our their health outcomes," said the MEC.
In addition, MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko conducted a door-to-door campaign to educate the residents of Freedom Square informal settlement about the importance of prevention, early detection and treatment initiation to prevent health complications.