Algeria's new 2026 vaccination schedule: what changes for your children

If your child's vaccination booklet was printed before spring 2026, it no longer tells the whole story. A new decree has amended Algeria's vaccination schedule, and the 2026-2027 school year brings a vaccine that is now mandatory for 11-to-13-year-olds. Here is what changes, concretely, for parents.

A new decree in the Official Journal

The mandatory vaccination schedule, in place since 2018, was revised by a decree published in Official Journal no. 36 of 28 April 2026. Three main changes, covered in detail by El Moudjahid: a hexavalent vaccine combining six antigens in a single injection, oral polio vaccine added from the age of 2 months alongside the injectable form, and a broader-spectrum pneumococcal vaccine.

HPV at 11-13: the big news of this school year

The most visible change for families: vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) becomes mandatory for schooled children aged 11 to 13, starting with the 2026-2027 school year — that is, now. The vaccine protects against viruses responsible, years later, for several cancers, including cervical cancer. If your child is in that age group, the school and your doctor will guide you through the practical steps; do not hesitate to bring your questions to your paediatrician or family doctor.

What changes for infants

For babies, the hexavalent shot combines diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae b and injectable polio in one injection, given at 2, 4 and 12 months: fewer needles for the same protection. Oral polio is now added from 2 months. The rest of the schedule's architecture remains familiar: BCG, hepatitis B and polio at birth, measles-rubella at 11 and 18 months, boosters at 6, 11-13 and 16-18 years, then a diphtheria-tetanus booster every ten years in adulthood.

The full schedule, age by age

Rather than copying a table that will age, use our interactive Algerian vaccination calendar: it reflects the decree in force and automatically works out your child's next vaccines from their date of birth. Beware of schedules found through random searches: most French-language sites describe the French schedule, which differs from Algeria's on important points (ages, BCG, which vaccines are included).

Where to vaccinate, and what to do about delays

Vaccines on the national programme are free in public health facilities — polyclinics, care units, mother-and-child (PMI) centres — as UNICEF Algeria notes. A late vaccine is almost never a catastrophe: catch-up schedules exist, and your doctor or the PMI will set one. The same goes for a lost booklet: go back to the centre where the child was vaccinated, which keeps a record of the injections.