Saskatchewan Health purchases and distributes vaccines for the routine infant, pre-school and school immunization programs that protect Saskatchewan residents against disease, as well as those vaccines for targeted programs for persons at high risk.

Most immunization programs are delivered by public health agencies in the health regions, but physicians can also get publicly-funded vaccines such as those for influenza or pneumococcal diseases, for their eligible high-risk patients.

Infants and pre-school-aged children receive free immunizations against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, haemophilus influenza, measles, mumps, rubella (German measles), varicella (chickenpox), meningococcal and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines as part of a routine publicly-funded program.

Grade 6 students routinely receive hepatitis B, varicella (chickenpox) and meningococcal conjugate vaccines. Starting in the fall of 2008, public health agencies will also provide a vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV) for grade 6 girls (only in 2008, grade 7 girls will also be offered the vaccine).  Grade 8 students get tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis boosters.

People 65 years of age and older and those with medical conditions that put them at increased risk of influenza or pneumococcal disease or their complications, are eligible for the publicly-funded vaccines to prevent these diseases.

All children from 6-23 months of age are eligible to receive publicly-funded influenza vaccine.

Travel immunizations are available through public health offices but are not publicly funded.

For more information about publicly funded immunizations, contact the medical health officer, manager of public health nursing or co-ordinator of immunization in your health region. Or contact the Ministry of Health's Population Health branch.

For vaccinations that don't qualify for public funding, contact your physician or medical clinic.