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Gauteng rolls out mobile clinics to fight measles outbreak
The Gauteng Department of Health has added seven new vehicles to its Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP) fleet in an effort to control a growing measles outbreak in the province.
Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko officially handed over the mobile vaccination vehicles on Friday during a ceremony at Inxiweni Primary School in Tembisa. She said the department's focus on bringing services directly to children who need them most.
'This is more than a handover, it is a message to our young people that their health matters.,' said Nkomo-Ralehoko.
' We are taking services directly to schools, especially in underserved areas, to ensure every learner receives the care they need.'
The ISHP teams, who will use the vehicles, will provide various services, including health screenings, immunisations, and health education, to school learners across the province.
The new rollout comes amid rising concern over low immunisation coverage in key metros. According to the department, coverage for the second dose of the measles vaccine remains below 75% in Johannesburg and Tshwane, short of the 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks.
'These vehicles will help us reach more learners with lifesaving vaccines,' said the MEC.
'We must close the immunity gap and stop the spread of measles and rubella.'
Nkomo-Ralehoko added that the expanded mobile services are a timely response to the current outbreak and a long-term investment in public health.
By extending health services into schools, the department aims to reduce barriers to immunisation and catch up on missed vaccinations. The mobile units will enhance the province's ability to reach children in remote and under-resourced areas with limited clinic access.
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