As A Result Of The COVID-19 Pandemic, 10 Provinces Including DKI Jakarta Experienced Delays In Diphterial Vaccination

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) reported that as many as 10 provinces in Indonesia experienced delays in vaccination of diphtheria in children due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Provinces with the lowest vaccination coverage for differial are Aceh, West Papua, Papua, West Sumatra, DKI Jakarta, Riau, North Kalimantan, West Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, and West Kalimantan," said Head of the Communication and Public Service Bureau of the Ministry of Health Siti Nadia Tarmizi in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Monday, February 27. According to Nadia, the delay in vaccination has an impact on the emergence of diphtheria diseases in Garut, West Java. Even the local government has determined the status of Extraordinary Events (KLB) after a number of its citizens were confirmed by the diphtheria. Nadia said the implementation of the Outbreak Response Immunization (ORI) of the distribution for prevention efforts in Garut began today in eight villages in Pangatikan District, which is the working area of the Cimagas Health Center. "We have completed collecting target data through microplanting in all villages, so then the number of ORI targets will adjust the results of the data collection of the puskesmas," he said. Based on the recommendations of the expert committee, said Nadia, ORI will be implemented in one sub-district, namely Pangatikan District. Furthermore, the expansion of the ORI region will consider the results of an epidemiological investigation. Nadia encourages efforts to overcome and strengthen the surveillance of differial observables to prevent a spike in cases in the community. "The trick is that we carry out early detection of suspected differial cases through an early alert system and responses, monitoring the occurrence of additional cases in the KLB area, to refreshing training related to surveillance and control of the distribution for affected provinces and districts/cities," he said. In addition, the Ministry of Health also continues to increase the complete routine immunization coverage for child target groups in Indonesia. Previously, the Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin, on the 2023 Lokala agenda in Jakarta, last week, stated that the case of a Diphteri with the status of a KLB in Garut was triggered by delays in immunization during the three years of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Diphtheria in Garut is indeed lacking in vaccination, because COVID-19 has decreased somewhat," he said. The Ministry of Health has also mapped a number of blood in Indonesia, which has experienced delays in vaccination coverage, so that acceleration efforts are immediately made. Meanwhile, the Garut Regional Government (Pemda) reported two cases of diphtheria experienced by residents of Sukahurip Village, Pangatikan District. Some others, were declared suspects. The incident prompted the Garut Regency Government to determine the status of the KLB differial through Regent Decree Number 100.3.2/KEP.91-DINKES/2023 for the period February to November 2023.