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Written by: Favour Francis | Reviewed by: Dr Ortega Ogomigo
Introduction
Vaccination helps protect children and adults from many serious diseases, including tuberculosis (TB), polio, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, pneumococcal disease, rotavirus and yellow fever, among others.
But it’s not as simple as getting one vaccine and being protected against everything. Different vaccines protect against different diseases, and the vaccines a person needs can depend on their age, health, where they live, and their risk of certain infections.
For children in Nigeria, many of these vaccines are part of the routine immunisation programme and are given at specific ages, starting from birth. So, what does each vaccine protect your child from, and why are these diseases worth preventing in the first place?
Let’s break it down.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- 13 different diseases that vaccines prevent
- Frequently asked questions about vaccination
Which Diseases Can Vaccines Prevent?
There is a reason your child’s immunisation card has so many different vaccines and doses on it. Each vaccine is designed to help protect against a particular infection, and some vaccines protect against more than one disease.
Here are some of the diseases that vaccines can help prevent.
1. Tuberculosis (TB)
Tuberculosis, or TB, is an infection caused by bacteria that most commonly affects the lungs. But in babies and young children, it can sometimes spread to other parts of the body and cause more serious illness, including meningitis.
This is where the BCG vaccine comes in. BCG helps protect children against severe forms of TB, particularly TB meningitis and widespread TB in young children.
In Nigeria, BCG is part of the routine childhood immunisation programme and is given from birth. So, if you notice a small scar on your child’s upper arm after their early vaccinations, that is likely the mark left by the BCG vaccine.
2. Polio
Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that mainly affects children. In some cases, it can attack the nervous system and cause paralysis. In severe cases, the paralysis can affect the muscles used for breathing and can be life-threatening.
Polio spreads mainly through contact with an infected person’s faeces, including through contaminated food or water. This is one reason good hygiene and sanitation matter, but vaccination remains the most important way to protect children from polio paralysis.
Your child may receive oral polio vaccine (OPV) as drops in the mouth and inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) as an injection. You may also have seen health workers going from house to house during polio vaccination campaigns.
3. Measles
If you’ve ever seen a child with a fever and a rash and thought, “Maybe it’s just heat rash,” it is worth knowing about measles.
Measles is a very contagious viral infection. It can cause high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash that usually starts on the face before spreading to other parts of the body.
For some children, measles may pass without major problems. But it can also lead to complications such as pneumonia, brain swelling and, in severe cases, death. Young children who are not vaccinated are particularly vulnerable.
Thankfully, measles is vaccine-preventable. Measles-containing vaccines are part of Nigeria’s routine immunisation programme, and vaccination campaigns are also used to reach children who may have missed their routine doses.
This is especially important because measles outbreaks still occur in Nigeria. So even if you haven’t heard of a case around you recently, it doesn’t mean the disease has disappeared.
4. Diphtheria
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that can affect the throat and airways. It can make it difficult to breathe and may cause serious complications if it is not treated.
It spreads from person to person, usually through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
The pentavalent vaccine helps protect children against diphtheria, along with four other diseases. This means that when your child receives their pentavalent doses, they are not simply getting protection against one illness.
5. Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
Whooping cough, also called pertussis, is a bacterial infection that causes severe coughing. The coughing can come in repeated bouts and may make it difficult for a child to breathe.
It can be particularly dangerous for babies because their small airways and developing immune systems make it harder for them to cope with severe respiratory infections.
The vaccine that protects against whooping cough is included in the pentavalent vaccine used in Nigeria. The pentavalent vaccine also protects against diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).
So, when you’re taking your baby for those vaccines at the recommended ages, you’re helping protect them from several serious infections at once.
6. Tetanus
Tetanus is caused by bacteria that can enter the body through a cut, wound, or other break in the skin. This is why a wound that looks small should not always be ignored, especially if it has been exposed to dirt or contaminated material.
The bacteria produce a toxin that can cause painful muscle stiffness and spasms, sometimes making it difficult for a person to swallow or breathe.
Tetanus can also be particularly dangerous for newborn babies when mothers are not adequately protected during pregnancy and delivery.
Vaccination is one of the main ways to prevent tetanus. Tetanus protection is included in the routine vaccines given to children, and tetanus-containing vaccines also play an important role in protecting pregnant women and their babies.
7. Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver. Unlike some childhood illnesses that you expect to see and recover from, hepatitis B can sometimes become a long-term infection.
Over time, chronic hepatitis B can damage the liver and increase the risk of serious problems such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Babies and young children who become infected are more likely to develop chronic hepatitis B than adults. This is one reason early vaccination matters.
The hepatitis B vaccine is included in Nigeria’s routine immunisation programme and is also part of the pentavalent vaccine given during infancy.
8. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
The name may sound familiar, but Haemophilus influenzae type b, or Hib, is not the same thing as influenza (the flu).
Hib is a type of bacteria that can cause serious infections, particularly in young children. It can cause illnesses such as pneumonia and meningitis, which can require hospital treatment and may become life-threatening.
The good thing is that children don’t need a separate Hib injection in the Nigerian routine schedule. Hib protection is included in the pentavalent vaccine, alongside protection against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and hepatitis B.
9. Pneumococcal Disease
Pneumococcal disease is caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae. These bacteria can cause several types of illness, including pneumonia, meningitis and serious bloodstream infections.
Young children are among those at higher risk of severe pneumococcal disease, which is why protection against it is included in routine childhood immunisation.
The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) helps protect children against serious illness caused by pneumococcal bacteria.
In Nigeria, PCV is part of the routine immunisation programme.
10. Rotavirus
If your child has ever had a bad bout of diarrhoea and vomiting, you already know how quickly a child can become weak and dehydrated.
Rotavirus is one of the viruses that can cause severe diarrhoea and vomiting in babies and young children. The biggest concern is often dehydration, which can become dangerous if a child loses too much fluid.
The rotavirus vaccine helps protect children against severe rotavirus disease.
Nigeria introduced rotavirus vaccination into the routine immunisation programme to help reduce the burden of severe diarrhoeal disease among children.
So, when your baby receives the rotavirus vaccine, it isn’t simply about preventing a few days of stomach upset. It is about reducing the risk of a serious infection that can leave a young child severely dehydrated.
11. Yellow Fever
Yellow fever is a viral disease spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes. It can cause fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea and weakness. In more serious cases, it can cause jaundice, bleeding, and problems affecting the liver and other organs.
Because mosquitoes are common in many parts of Nigeria, yellow fever is an important disease to prevent.
The yellow fever vaccine protects against yellow fever and is part of Nigeria’s routine immunisation programme.
12. Meningitis
Meningitis is an infection that causes inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by different viruses, bacteria and other organisms.
This is important because there isn’t one vaccine that prevents every type of meningitis.
Some vaccines protect against bacteria that can cause meningitis, including Hib and pneumococcal bacteria. Meningococcal vaccines protect against certain types of bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis.
When we say vaccination can help prevent meningitis, we mean that certain vaccines can protect against specific causes of the disease, not every possible cause.
13. Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Vaccination isn’t only for babies.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is another important vaccine for older children, particularly girls. HPV is a very common virus, and while many HPV infections clear on their own, some types can cause cancers, including cervical cancer.
This is why HPV vaccination is also a form of cancer prevention.
In Nigeria, the HPV vaccine is recommended for girls in the eligible age group, with the national programme targeting girls from age 9. The vaccine works best when given before exposure to HPV, which is why it is offered at this age.
If you have a daughter around this age, you may have heard about the HPV vaccine through her school, a health centre or a vaccination campaign. It is worth asking a healthcare professional about it rather than assuming vaccines are only something babies need.
Vaccination Protects Against More Than One Disease
When you look at the list, you can see why keeping up with your child’s vaccination schedule matters. From TB and polio in infancy to measles, yellow fever, pneumococcal disease and HPV, vaccines can protect against illnesses that can have serious consequences.
And if you look at your child’s immunisation card and see several vaccine names that you don’t recognise, don’t worry. You don’t have to memorise all of them.
What matters is knowing which vaccines your child is due for and making sure they receive them at the recommended time.
Can My Child Receive a Vaccine They Missed?
Yes, a missed vaccine does not necessarily mean you’ve missed your chance to protect your child.
Maybe you couldn’t get to the health centre that week, your child was ill, or you simply lost track of the date. It happens.
Take your child’s immunisation card to a health facility and speak with a healthcare worker. They can check which doses your child has received and advise you on the next steps. Do not restart the vaccination schedule on your own.
Catch-up vaccination may be recommended for children who have missed doses, depending on their age and vaccination history.
Does My Child Still Need Vaccines for Diseases That Are Now Rare?
Yes.
You may wonder why your child needs a vaccine for a disease you hardly hear about anymore. The simple answer is that some vaccine-preventable diseases are now uncommon because so many people are vaccinated against them.
If vaccination rates fall, these diseases can start spreading again, especially when people who are not protected come into contact with an infected person.
So even if you haven’t personally seen a case of measles, polio, or another vaccine-preventable disease, that doesn’t mean the risk has completely disappeared.
Keeping your child’s vaccinations up to date helps protect them and makes it harder for these diseases to spread.
Can Adults Benefit from Vaccination Too?
Absolutely. Vaccination isn’t something you stop thinking about once a child leaves infancy.
Some vaccines are recommended at different stages of life or for people with particular health risks. Adolescents may need certain vaccines, while pregnant women, travellers and adults in certain risk groups may also be advised to receive specific vaccines.
The vaccines you need as an adult won’t necessarily be the same ones your child receives, so it’s worth speaking with a healthcare professional about what is recommended for you based on your age, health and circumstances.
In other words, vaccination is not just a childhood thing. It can be part of protecting your health throughout life.
From the Desk of Koyo Doctors
As parents, we do a lot to keep our children well. We worry when they have a fever, check their food, watch them sleep, and quickly notice when something feels different.
Vaccination is one of those things we can do before there is anything to worry about.
So, when the next vaccination date comes around, even if your baby looks perfectly fine and you’re tempted to say, ‘She’s okay now, why does she need another one?’, remember that the goal is to keep that protection going.
One less thing to worry about is always a good thing.
