Efforts to achieve the target set for rubella-measles immunization (MR) must be supported by various parties, such as regional heads, Ministry of Education and Culture, and Ministry of Religion, including the Indonesian Ulema Council, an immunization expert opined here on Thursday.
According to Hindra Irawan Satari, a member of the National Immunization Expert Advisers Committee of the Ministry of Health, the decisive factor lays in the hands of the regional government heads.
"The most decisive power is the head of the region. Regional government heads, who are committed to the MR immunization program, must be successful," Satari noted.
According to Satari, regional heads, who are aware of the importance of immunization programs in preventing the spread of measles and rubella, will work, so that children in their regions are immunized.
However, it undeniably requires sound coordination and cooperation that must be established by the central government, either the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Home Affairs, along with the regional government.
In two months in addition to a month of MR immunization campaigns in 28 provinces outside Java, the national immunization coverage has reached only 66.9 percent of the targeted 95 percent.
A total of four provinces and 102 districts and municipalities have achieved the target, with coverage of above 95 percent.
Reporting by Aditya Ramadhan
(T.A014/B/KR-BSR/R013) 01-11-2018 18:16:37
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Andi Abdussalam
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
