Children's vaccinations: Maternal and Child Health Centre, school or private doctor? Who to ask about vaccines before travel?
Maternal and Child Health Centres vaccinate children from birth to five years old under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme, and the Department of Health's School Immunisation Teams vaccinate primary school pupils at school; vaccines outside the Programme are available at private clinics, and the Department of Health advises parents to consult a family doctor first (Department of Health Family Health Service, May 2025). Children's routine vaccines should be completed on schedule before travel (Department of Health Travel Health Service, accessed October 2026).
Should children get vaccinated at a Maternal and Child Health Centre, at school or by a private doctor?
Maternal and Child Health Centres vaccinate babies and young children from birth to five years old under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme, while primary school pupils are vaccinated at school by the Department of Health's School Immunisation Teams; vaccines outside the Programme are also available at private clinics (Department of Health Family Health Service, May 2025). To find a private doctor by district, use Book a Doctor's Paediatrics list (252) or General Practice list (1,632, as of 25 October 2026); ask the clinic which vaccines it offers (this page is compiled by this site).
| Where | Who | Arrangement, according to Department of Health web pages |
|---|---|---|
| Maternal and Child Health Centres | From birth to five years old | Vaccination under the ‘Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme’ |
| School Immunisation Teams (at school) | Primary One pupils, Primary Five girls and Primary Six pupils | Visit primary schools for two vaccination rounds each school year; district offices give catch-up doses to primary school pupils who have not completed the Programme vaccines (appointment needed) |
| Private clinics | As arranged by the clinic | Vaccines outside the Programme, for example influenza, Haemophilus influenzae type b, meningococcal, hepatitis A, Japanese encephalitis, rotavirus and combination vaccines |
Vaccines outside the Programme: how do you decide whether to have them?
For vaccines outside the Programme, parents are advised to consult a family doctor to understand the benefits and risks, and then, based on the doctor's assessment of the child's health and medical history, make an informed decision on whether to vaccinate (Department of Health Family Health Service, May 2025).
Pupils registered with eHealth can download their vaccination records through the ‘eHealth’ mobile app (Centre for Health Protection, July 2026); for how to register, see eHealth registration.
For choosing a family doctor, see How to choose a family doctor; for paediatrics, see How to choose a paediatrician.
Before travelling with children, where should you ask about travel vaccines?
Parents should complete their children's routine vaccines on schedule even when abroad; before a long period away from Hong Kong, parents can first ask a family doctor how to adjust the vaccination schedule; some antimalarial drugs are not suitable for babies, so parents should consult a family doctor first (Department of Health Travel Health Service, accessed October 2026).
The Department of Health recommends children be vaccinated under the immunisation programme of the place where they usually live, and does not recommend vaccination during travel (Department of Health Family Health Service, May 2025).
Which vaccines or medicines an individual child needs before travel are decided by the doctor according to the destination and the child's health.
Frequently asked questions
Should children get vaccinated at a Maternal and Child Health Centre, at school or by a private doctor?
Maternal and Child Health Centres vaccinate children from birth to five years old under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme, and Primary One pupils, Primary Five girls and Primary Six pupils are vaccinated at school by the School Immunisation Teams; vaccines outside the Programme are available at private clinics, and the Department of Health advises consulting a family doctor first (Department of Health Family Health Service, May 2025; Centre for Health Protection, July 2026).
Before travelling with children, where should you ask about travel vaccines?
Parents should complete their children's routine vaccines on schedule; before a long period away from Hong Kong, parents can first ask a family doctor how to adjust the vaccination schedule, and should also consult a family doctor first about antimalarial drugs (Department of Health Travel Health Service, accessed October 2026).
What if my child missed vaccination at school?
The School Immunisation Teams have district offices that give catch-up doses to primary school pupils who have not completed the Programme vaccines (including pupils newly arrived in Hong Kong and those who missed vaccination at school); an appointment is needed (Centre for Health Protection, July 2026).