"Immunization protects children, so that they will grow up healthy and smart," Sadikin remarked during the National Child Immunization Month planning event here on Wednesday.
Immunization aims to improve children's immunity against diseases, such as hepatitis, measles, rubella, polio, tetanus, and diphtheria.
Preventing disease infection through immunization is much cheaper than the cost to be borne to medicate the disease-afflicted person, he emphasized.
For instance, antivirus medication can cost millions of rupiah, especially if the patients are admitted in the ICU, he explained.
According to information on the Health Ministry's official website, complete routine immunization of children comprises basic and advanced immunization.
Basic immunization comprises Hepatitis B (HB-0) immunization for infants aged less 24 hours, BCG and Polio 1 immunization for infants who are one month old, and DPT-HB-Hib 1 and Polio 2 immunization for infants aged two months.
Moreover, DPR-HB-Hib 2 and Polio 3 immunization for infants aged three months; DPT-HB-Hib 3, Polio 4 and IPV immunization for infants aged four months; and measles or MR immunization for infants aged nine months.
Meanwhile, advanced immunization comprises DPT-HB-Hib and Measles/MR immunization for children aged less than two years, DT and Measles/MR immunization for first year primary school children, as well as tetanus and diphtheria immunization for second and fifth year primary school children.
During the National Child Immunization Month, the government also provides additional Measles-Rubella immunization as well as completing Polio and DPT-HB-Hib immunization doses for those who missed them.
Riau Islands Governor Ansar Ahmad stated that 24,461 children in seven districts and cities in the province are targeted to receive immunization during the National Child Immunization Month from May 18 to June 18, 2022.
The government provides children immunization services at various health service facilities, he noted.
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Translator: Ogen, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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