Those who have yet to be vaccinated are prone to catching diseases, defects, even death
Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Health Ministry will observe National Children’s Immunization Month in May this year to ensure children catch up with the routine immunizations that they have missed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In the program, there are two main activities, (those being) a dose of immunization to prevent measles and rubella, and follow-up immunization for toddlers who have yet to get complete immunization,” acting director for immunization management at the Health Ministry Prima Yosephine informed during a webinar on World Immunization Week 2022, accessed here on Monday.
She said that the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a decline in immunization programs, with the vaccination rate falling to its lowest level in decades, globally, in 2021.
In Indonesia, the basic immunization in regions declined from 93.7 percent in 2019 to 84.2 percent in 2021. During the same period, the immunization of babies under 2 years old declined to 52 percent from 72.7 percent earlier.
The fall in vaccination coverage was caused by many factors, including supply chain issues, restrictions on activities, and lack of medical workers, which led to the cessation of some vaccination services during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Those who have yet to be vaccinated are prone to catching diseases, defects, even death. Should unvaccinated children be gathered within a population, it would trigger a terrible disease outbreak,” she cautioned.
As an effort to address the issue, the government will observe the National Children’s Vaccination Month to commemorate World Immunization Week 2022, Yosephine said.
The program will target as many as 800 thousand kids across Indonesia who are at risk of diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, measles, rubella, and polio, which can be prevented through immunization.
The first stage of the vaccination month will begin in May in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and Papua, and the second phase will be conducted in August in Java and Bali.
During the month-long program, a dose of the measles-rubella vaccine would be administered regardless of previous vaccination status, in accordance with the recommendation for each region. One or more vaccines will be given to complete the immunization of toddlers.
Related news: Gov’t looking to expand immunization coverage: ministry
Related news: Low rubella immunization rate puts babies at risk of deafness
Related news: Health Ministry continue to push immunization against cervical cancer