Vaccines are one of the safest and most effective ways to protect your child from serious diseases. Giving them at the right ages gives your child the best protection, and it also protects other children in the community.
How the schedule works
In Nigeria, routine childhood vaccines are given at set ages, starting at birth. In general:
- At birth: protection against tuberculosis, polio and hepatitis B
- At 6, 10 and 14 weeks: rounds of vaccines that protect against diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis B, pneumonia and severe diarrhoea, plus polio
- Around 9 months: measles-containing vaccine and yellow fever, with other vaccines added by the national programme, such as meningitis A
The national schedule is updated from time to time, so please confirm the current one with our nurses at your child's first visit.
Keep the card safe
Your child's immunisation card is an important record. Keep it in a safe place, bring it to every visit and take a photo of it as a backup. Schools and travel may require it.
What if we missed a dose?
Do not worry, and do not start again from the beginning. In most cases your child can pick up where they stopped. Bring the card and our nurses will advise on what to give and when.
After the injection
- Mild fever, fussiness or soreness where the injection was given is common and usually settles in a day or two
- Keep feeding your baby and offer extra fluids
- Do not apply anything to the injection site unless advised
Seek medical help if your child has a very high fever, will not feed, is unusually drowsy, has fits or has difficulty breathing.
Growth checks too
Each visit is also a chance to check your child's weight, length and development, and to ask about feeding, sleep and anything else on your mind.
Ready to schedule? Book a child health visit or call us.