Second round of HPV vaccinations begins at Western Cape schools

The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has urged parents and caregivers to ensure eligible Grade 5 learners receive their school-based vaccinations as the second round of the province’s HPV vaccination programme gets underway.

School health teams will visit public and private schools across the province from Monday, 3 August 2026, until 23 September 2026 to administer free vaccinations.

The programme includes catch-up HPV vaccinations for eligible Grade 5 girls who missed the first round earlier this year, as well as Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (TDaP) booster vaccinations for eligible Grade 5 boys and girls.

In the first six months of 2026, the department noted that 36 841 Grade 5 girls in public and special schools received the HPV vaccine. However, more than 14 000 learners have not yet been vaccinated.

Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness Mireille Wenger encouraged parents and caregivers to take up the opportunity.

“Parents and caregivers do so much every day to protect their children, and this is one more powerful way to protect your daughter’s future. With one signed consent form, you can give her access to a free vaccine that can help prevent a cancer that could threaten her life many years from now.”

The department says the HPV vaccine helps protect against the types of the virus that can cause cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers later in life. It adds that the vaccine contains no live virus, cannot cause HPV-related illness, has no effect on fertility and is recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Alongside the HPV programme, the National Department of Health has recommended that all eligible children, boys and girls in Grade 5, receive a Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (TDaP) booster.

This booster renews children’s protection against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough as their earlier childhood immunity begins to fade.

“A signed consent form is a simple but powerful step towards protecting your child against preventable diseases and supporting a healthier future.”