Ministry Of Health Invites Social Media Communities To Become Digital Immunization Ambassadors For The Future Of Children Of The Nation

Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) RI. (Ist)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) asked the entire community to disseminate information about immunization. Because, it is undeniable that many parties are wrong so that it has an impact on doubt and even rejection in society.

The Ministry of Health's Immunization Director, Prima Yosephine, said that one of the biggest challenges in pursuing immunization coverage is no longer a matter of vaccine distribution or access to facilities, but a narrative battle.

One of the important issues that causes so many Indonesian children who have not received immunizations is the circulation of false or untrue information about immunization. This false and misleading information will initially cause doubt, fear, and in the end will cause resistance to immunization," Prima said in his statement, Monday, April 21.

One of the efforts made by the Ministry of Signs is so that the public understands more about immunization, namely by holding Community Meetings and Social Media Activists. This is also part of the commemoration of the 2025 World Immunization Week.

Carrying the theme Immunization for All: From City to Remote Areas,' this activity invites various parties, ranging from religious leaders, young mothers, online motorcycle taxi drivers, to local community drivers to jointly become the spreaders of true information as well as the Digital Immunization Ambassador.

In addition, the Director of Global Health Strategies Indonesia, Ganendra Awang Kristandya emphasized that social media forces must be directed to save the future of Indonesian children.

Health hoaxes can spread faster than viruses. This is the importance of the role of the digital community to voice facts. We need more votes to support immunization as a basic right, not just an option," he said.

This World Immunization Week commemoration is not without reason. Based on WHO data in 2023, as many as 14.5 million children in the world still have not received basic immunizations (zero dose). Indonesia does show significant progress from 1.1 million children who have not been immunized in 2021 to 662 thousand children in 2023, but is still the country with the sixth highest number of zero doses in the world.

The event also involved various communities from various regions and backgrounds. The participants were given space to discuss, exchange experiences, and learn effective communication strategies to fight disinformation about immunization.

Head of the Communication and Public Information Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Aji Muhawarman, said that the current health communication challenges are very different from a few years ago.

In the past we faced limited access. Now, we are dealing with a flood of information that is not all true. Health communication must be adaptive and relevant. We can no longer rely solely on formal channels; there must be a closer, more personal approach, and most importantly conveyed by a trusted figure," he said.

Through this activity, the Ministry of Health hopes that more Digital Immunization Ambassadors will grow from various groups who are ready to voice the importance of consistent and inclusive immunization. The 2025 World Immunization Week carries a national message "Come on Complete Immunization, Healthy Generation Towards Golden Indonesia," as a joint invitation to protect the future of Indonesian children.