Minister Of Health Affirms Vaccination For The Elderly Still Must Be Boost

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin in Makassar/PHOTO VIA Ministry of Health

MAKASSAR - Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized that vaccination for the elderly (elderly) must still be boosted because the elderly are a group of people who are very vulnerable to contracting or transmitting COVID-19.

"The most important thing now is that vaccination for the elderly must be pursued because now the achievement is still 40-50 percent, and in the regions it is still low," said Budi Gunadi after reviewing the mass COVID-19 vaccination at the Trans Makassar Mall, South Sulawesi, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, November 1st.

The elderly group is the community group that is prioritized in the implementation of vaccination because many of them have comorbidities so that it is certain that their health status will worsen if they contract COVID-19.

"The elderly group has the most fatal risk compared to children, adolescents and adults. So we must vaccinate quickly for the elderly," he emphasized.

At the vaccination review in Makassar, Budi Gunadi was accompanied by Member of Commission IX DPR Aliyah Mustika Ilham who also came from Makassar, South Sulawesi, and Chairul Tanjung as a businessman.

During his working visit, Budi Gunadi is also scheduled to visit the location of the Cancer Hospital at the Center Point of Indonesia (CPI) and visit the Dadi Special Hospital in Makassar, South Sulawesi Province.

Meanwhile, the Acting Head of the South Sulawesi Health Service, Dr. Arman Bausat, confirmed that the achievement of vaccination for the elderly was still minimal, except in Tana Toraja Regency, which had reached more than 40 percent.

"Indeed, other areas are still low, now our effort is how to involve community leaders to get these elderly people to be vaccinated, including educating their families," said Dr. Arman.

Arman said that his party would synergize with the TNI/Polri in increasing coverage, especially in remote and remote areas.

Based on KPCPEN, South Sulawesi's vaccination achievement until October 31, 2021 in the elderly group was 18.01 percent or 135,794 people for dose 1, while at dose 2 only 11.96 percent or 90,136 people had been vaccinated.