CIANJUR - Cianjur Health Office, West Java, since the last month there has been a shortage of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine due to delays in distribution from the center. As a result, the target of vaccination to infants is hampered.
The Head of Disease Prevention and Control, Cianjur Health Office, Dr. Yusman Faisal, explained that the BCG vaccine for tuberculosis is made from tuberculosis bacillus that has been weakened for years by being cultured in an artificial medium.
"The BCG vaccine will reduce or prevent the outbreak of germs that cause tuberculosis or TB. Since the last month, we have not received a supply from the center for the vaccine, so it is currently empty," he explained in Cianjur, Antara, Tuesday, August 31.
In addition to the delay in the distribution of vaccines from the center, the warehouse where the vaccine is stored belonging to the Cianjur Health Office is dominated by the COVID-19 vaccine. However, Yusman appealed to parents not to panic because there is still 3 to 6 months of time to get the BCG vaccine.
"There's still time for 3 months and even a 6-month-old baby if it hasn't been vaccinated, it can still be done. So this vaccine is given to babies aged 1 to 6 months and over. We have proposed the BCG vaccine to the center so that it will be immediately distributed to anticipate shortages," he said.
While some parents who have babies in Cianjur were confused because they did not get the vaccine even though they had been to the clinic or hospital.
"Today, I visited two clinics in the city of Cianjur, the answer is that there is no BCG vaccine in stock, so we were confused because our baby boy has not received the BCG immunization, which he said must be given at the age of one month," explained Sutrisna (32) father from a 1 month old baby, a resident of Sayang Village.
In line with Sutrisna, Asri (26), the mother of a 2-month-old baby girl, also complained about the same thing. Even though he has been to five clinics in Cianjur.
"He said the vaccine is out of stock, so we have to wait for the next one or two weeks. Hopefully the vaccine will already be there," he said.
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