JAKARTA - The Indonesian Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, said that the case of diphtheria had extraordinary events (KLB) in Garut, West Java, was triggered by delays in immunization during the three years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The distribution in Garut is indeed lacking, because COVID-19 has decreased somewhat," said Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin after attending the 2023 Lopaha agenda organized by CISDI, quoted by ANTARA Wednesday, February 22.
He said the Ministry of Health's response to following up on differial KLB in the regions was by pursuing the delay in the Immunization of Diphteria Tetanus (DT) to prevent a number of infectious diseases, such as diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis or hawker tubs.
"We will handle it. We have sent a team there. The area there (Garut) immunization of the distribution is lacking," he said.
Budi said the COVID-19 pandemic had confiscated the energy of all health workers, so it had implications for the coverage of the immunization program in the regions.
Currently, the Ministry of Health has mapped which areas are left behind in the National Immunization Program for acceleration.
"We have identified which areas have poor immunizations. It happened like polio. Because at the time of COVID-19, a lot of energy ran out, so some immunizations of children were left behind," he said.
Meanwhile, the Garut Regional Government reported that two cases of diphtheria were experienced by residents of Sukahurip Village, Pangatikan District. Several others were declared suspected.
The incident prompted the Garut Regency Government (Pemkab) to determine the status of the KLB differial through the Regent's Decree No. 100.3.2/KEP.91-DINKES/2023 for the period February to November 2023.
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