Pretoria - More than a million KwaZulu-Natal children have been immunised against measles and polio since the campaign was launched last week.
The first phase of the campaign, launched on 12 April, saw children from 0 to 59 months being vaccinated against polio and children from 6 months to 15 years being vaccinated against measles. The campaign will run until 23 April.
The second phase of the campaign will commence on 24 May, when a second dose of polio drops, vitamin A and deworming medicine will be given.
During the first week of the campaign, KZN saw 429 642 children between the ages of 6 to 59 months and 601 844 children between five and 14years being immunised against measles as well as 436 852 children being immunised against polio.
Provincial MEC for Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, thanked care givers, parents and educators in particular for the huge response they received and for inviting the department's teams into their schools and crSches.
He said that the department aims to immunise at least 3, 1 million children in the province by Friday.
"Immunisation brings hope to thousands of infants, children and teenagers who are saved through immunisation and the widespread suffering, sickness and socioeconomic disruption that are avoided," Dhlomo said.
In Gauteng, more than 700 000 children have been immunised since the campaign kicked off last week.
The province aims to immunise one million children by Friday.
Provincial Health and Social Development MEC, Qedani Mahlangu, encouraged parents to sign and return consent forms to schools and crSches.
As part of marking the end of the first phase of the campaign, Mahlangu and the department's senior managers will take part in the immunisation of children in Motsweding district in Tshwane on Friday.
