Measles Vaccination Achievements In Kaltara Below The National Target

Governor of North Kalimantan, Zainal Arifin Paliwang/Photo: Antara

TARAKAN - The coverage of mass vaccination for measles and rubella in North Kalimantan (Kaltara) is still below the national achievement, which is only 75 percent, while the national one is around 90 percent.

"I ask that the achievement of mass vaccination can be implemented immediately, so that the achievement is at least equivalent to the national one," said Kaltara Governor Zainal Arifin Paliwang in a written statement received in Tarakan, Wednesday, May 11.

He revealed that he had instructed relevant agencies to succeed in the national childhood vaccination program through the National Child Immunization Month (BIAN) this month.

"Vaccinations are given routinely, but their coverage has decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Zainal, quoted by Antara.

The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) will roll out the vaccination in stages, where the vaccinations are given include measles, rubella, polio, diphtheria, and tetanus.

The first phase will be for Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and Papua, while the second phase will be held in August 2022 for the Java and Bali regions.

In addition to measles and rubella vaccination, the Governor also asked the Kaltara Health Office to target other vaccinations, such as diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DPT), and polio vaccinations, as well as hepatitis vaccinations to anticipate the mysterious acute hepatitis disease that is currently sweeping the world.

Zainal said apart from the pandemic, the toughest challenge for the current immunization program in Indonesia is to ward off negative news about immunization that discourages parents from immunizing their children.

“Immunization is very important for our children. So, if your child has not received complete immunizations, immediately come to the health service that provides immunization services and complete the vaccinations," he said.

Immunization is useful for preventing disease transmission, epidemics, serious illness, disability to the death of infants and toddlers. Complete and advanced basic immunization will affect the future of Indonesian children.

Currently, there are various useful immunizations available to prevent more than 20 life-threatening diseases. Immunization currently prevents two million to three million deaths each year from diseases, such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, influenza, and measles.

Between 2020 and 2030, it is estimated that immunization will save more than 32 million lives, of which 28 million are children under the age of five.

Zain hopes that parents can use BIAN this month to catch up with complete basic immunization.