Ministry Of Health Targets 16 Million Children To Receive Poliso Vaccines At Phase 2 PIN

Illustration. Health workers donated polio vaccine to students during PIN Polio at SDN Together 5, Malang, Tuesday, January 16, 2024. (ANTARA PHOTO-Ari Bowo Sucipto)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) said as many as 16.4 million children aged 0-7 years spread across 27 provinces were targeted to receive vaccines in the National Immunization Week (PIN) of Polio phase 2 on July 23, 2024.

In a media meeting held online in Jakarta, Friday, the Director of Immunization Management of the Ministry of Health Prima Yosephine said that in order to break the transmission chain of the polio virus, at least 95 percent of the target needs to be vaccinated.

"And each of them must take place in two rounds, because it must be given in two doses. We will start the first round from July 23, 2024. And the second round will begin to be given two weeks after the first round," said Prima.

Prima said that as many as 32 provinces and 399 districts and cities have a high risk of transmission of polio, especially polio type 2, so that experts and world organizations recommend mass immunization of polio to prevent the expansion of transmission and to tackle the ongoing outbreak.

Since 2022, he said, 12 cases of type 2 polio have been reported from a number of areas, namely the provinces of Aceh, West Java, Central Java, and East Java. This is due to the low coverage of Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV).

"If we provide immunizations such as other immunizations, then the immunization coverage we provide must be high and evenly distributed. For what purpose? Of course, for the formation of immunity or herd immunity in the area," he said.

On that occasion he explained that the selection of drop vaccines in PIN Polio was to provide immunity in the intestines so that the virus does not reproduce in the digestive tract. Another advantage, continued Prima, is that the drop vaccine can provide protection to people around the child.

Meanwhile, he said, the polio injection vaccine forms an immune system through blood, so that it is unable to inhibit the breeding of the virus.

Polio, he continued, is a very contagious disease, which spreads through the digestive tract, and can occur if the environment and habits are unhealthy, such as unclean water, cooking not until cooked, or defecating carelessly.

The immunization program is carried out in various health facilities as well as educational units such as kindergarten, PAUD, elementary school, and equivalent.

Phase 2 of the Polio PIN is held in a number of areas including West Sumatra, Riau, Jambi, Bengkulu, Bangka Belitung, Central Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, and North Maluku.

The five provinces, namely Central Papua, South Papua, Mountains Papua, West Papua, and Southwest Papua, have implemented the PIN Polio phase 1 on May 27, 2024.