Ministry Of Health: Monkeypox Vaccination Is Only For Close Contacts

ILLUSTRATION OF DOK VOI

JAKARTA - Director of Immunization Management of the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) Prima Yosephine said that the monkeypox vaccination was temporarily only given to people who had close contact with people who had been confirmed to have monkeypox or monkeypox.

"Vaccination only helps to limit transmission, and is only given to those who are exposed and have close contact, not to the wider community," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, October 24.

Prima explained that this was done by considering the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), where vaccination is not the main focus of monkeypox management.

He said that currently the Government is prioritizing surveillance related to monkeypox, where surveillance includes a number of things such as epidemiological investigations, isolation, and management of the disease.

In addition, the Ministry of Health is also collaborating with a number of NGO community observer organizations (men like men) and bisexual, as previously known, six active cases in Indonesia occurred in people with bisexual orientations.

"In addition to cooperation, we also carry out socialization to convey to them that they understand Clean and Healthy Lifestyle (PHBS) so that it is always improved, as well as their sexual behavior and security," he said.

Then, Prima stated that the Ministry of Health always makes a number of efforts to manage the management of monkeypox, such as promotive efforts and tracing close contacts.

The Ministry of Health, he continued, is also reviewing the presence of additional vaccine doses to be given when other people are found with close contact.

Therefore, Prima appealed to the public not to discriminate against victims and other communities belonging to the NGO and bisexual groups, so that the management of monkeypox prevention can be carried out optimally.