There Is A LITTLe Ku And I-POINTS Program From IDAI, This Is Piprim Basarah Yanuarso's Explanation

Dr. Piprim Basarah Yanuarso, SpA(K), General Chairperson of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association. (Private photo)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) this week launched the LITTLe program I Complete My Child's Late/Incomplete Immunization and I-POINTS or IDAI Pediatric Online Immunization Reporting System. This is an online reporting system on immunization for pediatricians and general practitioners throughout Indonesia. These two programs aim to encourage the decline in routine immunization coverage for children, especially during this pandemic.

"During October to November this year, there was data on an increase in cases of Diseases Preventable By Immunization (PD3I) such as Diphtheria, Measles, Rubella in each province in Indonesia. Through the LITTLe Ku program, we urge the health workers who handle immunization in their respective areas to educate the public to carry out Pursuit Immunization to prevent Extraordinary Events (KLB) which have the potential to become epidemics in their regions due to decreased immunization coverage. Because if the basic immunization coverage drops below 60 percent, it has the potential to make infectious diseases return. We hope for the support of all parties so that this program runs as soon as possible and well so that there is no increase in cases of infectious diseases in children," said Dr. Piprim Basarah Yanuarso, SpA(K) - General Chair of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association.

On this occasion, IDAI will also issue a Pursuit Immunization guide so that all parties can understand how to catch up with lagging immunizations. In addition, IDAI will also have a special IDAI hotline to answer questions from health workers (midwives, nurses, general practitioners, pediatricians) regarding basic immunization, Pursuit, and Covid.

Said by the Executive Director of the International Pediatric Association (IPA), Prof. Dr. dr. Aman Bhakti Pulungan, Sp.A, (K), FAAP, FRCPI (Hon.), “From a regional perspective, I am very proud of the LITTLe Ku and I-POINT programs conducted by IDAI. This is in line with the WHO Implementing Immunization 2030 agenda. No One Left Behind. We want this routine immunization to be prioritized for all children in the new world, later they will be vaccinated against Covid. We have to avoid outbreaks of diseases that can be prevented by immunization, especially since schools in a number of countries have started holding face-to-face meetings.”

Prof. Aman who also serves as President of the Asia Pacific Pediatric Association (APPA) also explained that there are four (4) important elements in the implementation of the global strategy for Catch-Up Immunization, namely: (1) Regional strategy and operational planning, ( 2) Mechanisms to ensure ownership and accountability, (3) Monitoring and evaluation, which has already been done in Indonesia, and (4) Communication and advocacy to achieve this goal. The implementation includes increasing advocacy capacity not only for pediatricians but also for all health workers to help promote the importance of routine immunization for children in order to increase coverage and avoid outbreaks.