Vaccine Officers Disbanded Residents In Southwest Aceh, DPRA Reminds Officers Not To Force Vaccination

BANDA ACEH - Deputy Speaker of the Aceh House of Representatives, Safaruddin, asked the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination to avoid the element of coercion. Vaccinations must prioritize a persuasive approach when injecting vaccines in the field.

"The rejection occurred because the approach taken by health workers was not in a persuasive way and was not based on the spirit of local wisdom possessed in the local area. This is a wrong and wrong government strategy," Safaruddin said in Banda Aceh, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, September 28.

Safaruddin made the statement in response to the forced dispersal of the vaccinators from the Southwest Aceh District Health Office (Abdya) by hundreds of residents at the Ujung Insect Fish Landing Base (PPI), Susoh District, on Tuesday morning.

The Gerindra Party politician assessed that the disbandment occurred due to the wrong approach strategy, and also due to the lack of massive socialization of the COVID-19 vaccination by the local government.

In fact, according to Safaruddin, health workers must first approach the village head or PPI officer Ujong Serang before sending the vaccinator team to the targeted location.

"Health workers should first convey the good and bad of vaccination, so that people will automatically participate in the vaccination program without feeling compelled. Why are they being forced," he said.

According to Safaruddin, vaccinators should not come to residents. The vaccination program can be carried out at the puskesmas or "meunasah gampong" or a more sterile place, and not by going directly to PPI Ujung Insect.

Because of this condition, people who want to buy fish called Safaruddin feel threatened and have an impact on disrupting the economic cycle of fishing communities, he said.

"Because the post was created there (PPI Ujong Serangga). Then the forced system model, people don't want to come there. This slightly unpopular attitude and policy must be abandoned," he said.

Safaruddin emphasized that he supports the vaccination program in order to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19. According to him, vaccination is a necessity to protect oneself and others.

However, he said, it must be done in a persuasive and humane way. Do not let the pursuit of targets, then the vaccination activities interfere with the joints of people's lives. Especially during this pandemic, the community has been very squeezed economically.

"As a local man, I feel disappointed and ask that this incident not happen again. I support vaccines, but the approach must be carried out in a persuasive and humane way. There should be no element of coercion," said Safaruddin.