The child immunization card is an inexpensive yet effective instrument for systematically recording the vaccines received by a child. Moreover, the card can enhance health professionals’ ability to make clinical decisions, empower parents/caregivers in the health care of their children, and support public health monitoring. Unfortunately, the child immunization card is too often underutilized or inappropriately used by parents and health care workers and therefore does not always fulfil its intended purpose. National immunization programmes should be encouraged to procure cards in conjunction with other necessary vaccination supplies and to more actively promote the issuance and appropriate use of the card.