The Ministry’s free compulsory schedule for children runs from birth to 18 months. This guide sets it out age by age, separates it from the extra vaccines, and says where to go and what the Ministry said about a late dose.
The Ministry of Health and Population’s free compulsory schedule, as Al-Watan reported it on 21 June 2026, runs from birth to 18 months: hepatitis B, BCG and polio at birth; pentavalent and polio at 2, 4 and 6 months; polio at 9 months; measles, rubella and mumps (with polio) at 12 months; boosters at 18 months.
This guide covers what is given at which age, how the free vaccines differ from the extra ones, where to go, and what to do about a late dose. It rests on press reports of the Ministry’s June 2026 awareness material, UNICEF Egypt’s schedule table and the schedule page on the Ministry’s own site, dated 2023 (all read 23 October 2026); the notes under the table say where they differ. It does not tell you which vaccine your child needs: the vaccination team and your child’s doctor decide that.
In short:
- The Ministry’s compulsory vaccines are free at health offices and health units (Al-Watan, 17 June 2026).
- The visits fall at birth, then 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months (Al-Watan, 21 June 2026).
- Rotavirus, pneumococcal and the other extra vaccines are outside that list. A statement from VACSERA, as Al-Watan reported it on 25 June 2026, says they are given at serum-and-vaccine centres and in private paediatric clinics.
- The Ministry warned against delaying children’s vaccines, and also said a delay does not mean the chance to be vaccinated is lost: go to the nearest health unit or office, where the medical team assesses the missed doses.
Last checked: 23 October 2026, on the pages listed under Sources. Schedules, sites and opening hours change, so confirm them locally before you go.
What is the Ministry of Health’s childhood vaccination schedule in Egypt?
The table gives the vaccines the Ministry’s awareness report names at each age, as Al-Watan reported it on 21 June 2026 (read 23 October 2026). UNICEF Egypt’s immunization table (file created 30 April 2024) and the schedule page on the Ministry’s site (dated 19 September 2023, shown as pictures) agree on most points; the notes below list where they do not (both read 23 October 2026).
| Age | What the Ministry’s list names | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | Hepatitis B; BCG (tuberculosis); polio by mouth (zero dose) | Free |
| 2 months | Pentavalent, first dose; polio injection (Salk); polio by mouth | Free |
| 4 months | Pentavalent, second dose; polio injection; polio by mouth | Free |
| 6 months | Pentavalent, third dose; polio injection, third dose; polio by mouth | Free |
| 9 months | Polio by mouth | Free |
| 12 months | Measles, rubella and mumps (MMR); polio by mouth | Free |
| 18 months | Booster of the triple bacterial vaccine (diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus); MMR booster; polio booster | Free |
Read on 23 October 2026. Where: health units and health offices of the Ministry. The Ministry’s reports say these vaccines are free (Al-Watan, 17 June 2026 and 21 June 2026).
- At birth, sources differ on timing. The Ministry’s June 2026 report lists hepatitis B, the polio zero dose and BCG together under the first 24 hours after birth, and its own schedule page lists them at birth, with hepatitis B within 24 hours. UNICEF’s table puts the oral polio zero dose and BCG in the first month. Ask the unit where your baby was born what is due and by when.
- The polio injection. The June 2026 report and UNICEF’s table list the polio injection (Salk) at 2, 4 and 6 months. The Ministry’s own schedule page, dated 19 September 2023, lists it at 4 months only. The table follows the later sources; ask the unit what your child is due.
- The pentavalent vaccine. UNICEF’s table lists it as covering diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis B and, as it words it, «الإنفلونزا». The Ministry’s own schedule page words the fifth part as «الإنفلونزا البكتيرية» (bacterial influenza), and WHO’s regional office page on Egypt’s programme (undated) says the Hib vaccine was introduced as a component of Egypt’s PENTA vaccine. Ask the unit if you want to know what each part covers.
- Vitamin A. Sources differ on when it is given. UNICEF’s table lists vitamin A by mouth at 6, 12 and 18 months; Al-Watan’s 30 April 2026 report of the Ministry’s material lists a vitamin A capsule at 12 months; the Ministry’s own schedule page lists one at 9 and at 18 months. It is not a vaccine. The Ministry’s June report does not mention it, so ask the unit.
What is given at 2 months, 9 months, 1 year and 18 months?
What is the 2-month vaccine?
The Ministry’s June 2026 report names three: the first dose of the pentavalent vaccine, a polio injection (Salk) and polio by mouth. UNICEF’s table shows the same three (read 23 October 2026). The Ministry’s own 2023 page lists only two at this age, polio by mouth and the pentavalent, and puts the injection at 4 months (see the note above).
What is the 9-month vaccine, drops or an injection?
Drops by mouth. The Ministry’s June 2026 report names one vaccine at 9 months, polio by mouth, and UNICEF’s table and the Ministry’s own schedule page show the same (all read 23 October 2026). The measles-containing vaccine is at 12 months in this schedule, not 9, although the national measles and rubella campaign covers children from 9 months (see below).
What is the 1-year (12-month) vaccine?
The Ministry’s report names the measles, rubella and mumps (MMR) vaccine and polio by mouth, and so does the Ministry’s own schedule page. UNICEF’s table and Al-Watan’s 30 April report add vitamin A at the same visit; vitamin A is not a vaccine.
What is the 18-month vaccine?
The report names three boosters: the triple bacterial vaccine (diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus), MMR and polio. UNICEF’s table and the Ministry’s own schedule page also list vitamin A, which is not a vaccine.
What are the extra vaccines, and how do they differ from the free ones?
The free compulsory vaccines are the ones in the table above. Extra vaccines are outside that list: the Ministry material we read names none of them. A statement from VACSERA, reported by Al-Watan on 25 June 2026, calls them extra or optional vaccines, lists them, and says they are available at serum-and-vaccine centres and in private paediatric clinics (read 23 October 2026). The ages below are the report’s own wording.
| Extra vaccine | What the report says about timing |
|---|---|
| Rotavirus (by mouth) | Two or three doses; the report says doctors require starting before six months |
| Pneumococcal | Three doses at 2, 4 and 6 months, then a booster at 18 months |
| Hepatitis A | Two doses, six months apart; no exact age given (the report brings it up as the child grows through the first year) |
| Chickenpox | Two doses: the first after age one, the booster at 4 to 6 years |
| Meningococcal | No age given; the report mentions it especially before nursery or school |
| Seasonal influenza | A dose each autumn is recommended, from 6 months of age |
Read on 23 October 2026. These are one company’s statements as a newspaper reported them, not a Ministry schedule.
On cost: Youm7 reported on 14 September 2026 that VACSERA’s pneumococcal vaccine is available from 6 weeks of age at its vaccination centres, and that payment is by electronic means only. We found no dated official price list, so this page gives no prices: ask the centre or clinic what each vaccine costs before you book.
Is an extra vaccine important?
That is a medical decision for your child’s doctor. The company statement describes the extra vaccines in general terms, and this page does not say which, if any, apply to your child. Ask your paediatrician which ones, if any, and when.
Where do I take my child for vaccination, and what do I bring?
Al-Watan’s report of the Ministry’s awareness material (30 April 2026, read 23 October 2026) says the vaccines are given at the nearest health unit or health office, and that a government hospital can point you to the nearest vaccination point. It tells families to keep up with the vaccination card, and names the Ministry’s official Facebook page and a hotline as ways to find the nearest unit and its hours. We did not read that number on the Ministry’s site, so we do not print it.
- Ask your nearest health unit or health office what is due for your child’s age and when it is open.
- Bring your child’s vaccination card. No report we read lists papers required; the card shows the team which doses were given (our suggestion, not a Ministry procedure).
Questions to ask the vaccination team:
- Which doses are due today, and which come next?
- Is any dose missing from the card, and how do we catch up?
- Is there anything you need to know about my child before the dose?
- Whom should I ask if I have a question after the dose?
For questions after a dose, ask the vaccination team or your child’s doctor. If you think it is an emergency, go to the nearest emergency department or call emergency services now.
What if my child is late for a vaccine?
The Ministry warned that vaccines not given on their scheduled dates raise the chance of serious diseases that vaccines can prevent, among them polio, measles, whooping cough, diphtheria, hepatitis B and tuberculosis, and that children who have not been vaccinated are more likely to be admitted to hospital with complications (Al-Watan, 21 June 2026, read 23 October 2026). The same report says a delayed vaccination does not mean the chance of protection or of getting the vaccine is lost, and that parents should go to the nearest health unit or health office to complete missed doses, which the medical teams assess. Which dose your child needs now is for the team and your child’s doctor, not for this page.
Does the measles and rubella campaign change the schedule?
No. The Ministry’s spokesperson, Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, said the campaign is not a substitute for routine vaccinations, and that the measles, rubella and mumps vaccine is already part of the routine children’s programme. He gave the campaign’s ages as 9 months to 10 years (Masrawy, 3 September 2026, read 23 October 2026). Who is covered and where to go are in Egypt’s measles and rubella vaccination campaign.
In Egypt: who sets this schedule, and where do I check it?
The schedule belongs to Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population, so check it there. Its site has a page headed «جدول تطعيمات الأطفال» (children’s vaccination schedule), dated 19 September 2023, that shows the schedule as pictures, one per age (Ministry page, read 23 October 2026). It is older than the June 2026 report and differs on some points, set out under the table; your health unit can confirm the current list.
WHO’s immunization data portal says the schedules it shows come from each country’s official reporting through the WHO/UNICEF Joint Reporting Form (Egypt page, read 23 October 2026; its table did not load for us). A chart from another country’s ministry or from an app will not necessarily match Egypt’s.
School vaccination is separate: UNICEF’s table has its own school vaccination table (read 23 October 2026). This page does not give its ages, so ask your child’s school or health office.
How do I keep a copy of my child’s vaccination card?
Keep the paper card in one place you can find, and photograph it so you have a copy when it is not with you. How to ask for a copy of other records is in how to get a copy of your medical records, and why follow-up matters is in why follow-up matters in healthcare.
Where Medigize stands
Medigize is a navigation tool. It is not part of the Ministry, and it does not give vaccines, book vaccination visits or keep vaccination cards. We are building a record that moves with the patient, shared only with their consent. If you would like to follow that work, you can register your interest.
Frequently asked questions
What is Egypt’s childhood vaccination schedule?
The Ministry’s free compulsory schedule runs from birth to 18 months, with visits at birth, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months; the table above lists each one (Al-Watan, 21 June 2026, read 23 October 2026).
Are the Ministry’s childhood vaccines free in Egypt?
The Ministry’s reports say the compulsory vaccines are free at health units and health offices (Al-Watan, 17 June 2026, read 23 October 2026).
Is the 9-month vaccine drops or an injection?
Drops by mouth: the Ministry’s June 2026 report names oral polio at 9 months, and UNICEF’s table and the Ministry’s own schedule page show the same (read 23 October 2026).
What are the extra vaccines for children?
A VACSERA statement reported on 25 June 2026 lists rotavirus, pneumococcal, hepatitis A, chickenpox, meningococcal and seasonal influenza vaccines. Ask your child’s doctor which, if any, apply.
What if my child missed a vaccine?
The Ministry warned against delaying vaccines and said a delay does not mean the chance is lost: go to the nearest health unit or office to complete missed doses (Al-Watan, 21 June 2026, read 23 October 2026).
Does the measles campaign replace the routine schedule?
No, according to the Ministry’s spokesperson (Masrawy, 3 September 2026, read 23 October 2026).
Medigize is a non-diagnostic navigation tool. This is general information, not medical advice. In an emergency, call an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department.
Sources
- Al-Watan: an infant vaccination guide, and the Ministry warns against delaying children’s vaccines (21 June 2026, in Arabic), read 23 October 2026
- Ministry of Health and Population: children’s vaccination schedule (page dated 19 September 2023, schedule shown as pictures, in Arabic), read 23 October 2026
- UNICEF Egypt: childhood immunization schedule table (PDF, file created 30 April 2024, in Arabic), read 23 October 2026
- Al-Watan: the Ministry reveals the map of children’s vaccinations from birth to 18 months (17 June 2026, in Arabic), read 23 October 2026
- Al-Watan: children’s vaccinations at one year, and how to find the nearest health unit (30 April 2026, in Arabic), read 23 October 2026
- Al-Watan: the extra vaccines for children, from a VACSERA statement (25 June 2026, in Arabic), read 23 October 2026
- Youm7: VACSERA says the pneumococcal vaccine protects against pneumonia and meningitis (14 September 2026, in Arabic), read 23 October 2026
- Masrawy: details of the measles vaccination campaign, the age, the date and how to get it (3 September 2026, in Arabic), read 23 October 2026
- WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office: Expanded Programme on Immunization, Egypt (undated page), read 23 October 2026
- WHO immunization data portal: vaccination schedule page for Egypt (table did not load), read 23 October 2026
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