"The officiation aims to increase public awareness and understanding of the importance of National Children’s Immunization Month in pursuing the goal of rubella, measles elimination targeted in 2023, as well as maintaining a polio-free Indonesia and a polio-free world in 2026," Minister Sadikin said.
The immunization month will be conducted in two stages, he informed. The first stage will be conducted in May this year in all provinces other than Java and Bali, and the second stage will be carried out in all provinces in Java and Bali in August this year.
The immunization month is part of efforts to reform the health sector in terms of promotive and preventive services, Sadikin said adding, health sector reformation is one of the three main tasks entrusted by the President to him.
"I was given three tasks by the President. The first is to conduct COVID-19 vaccination as fast as possible, then the second task is to (address) this pandemic so that people can (have their) normal life back, and the third is to implement reforms in the health sector," he expounded.
He said that efforts to reform the health sector include the addition of three mandatory immunizations, bringing the total to 14.
The three immunizations include rotavirus for diarrhea, and PCV for pneumonia. Both are important because many children have lost their lives to diarrhea and lung infections.
"The third is HPV to prevent cervical cancer because cervical cancer is the second most common cause of maternal death," the minister said.
The 2022 National Children’s Immunization Month has been initiated alongside the launch of the My Healthy Indonesia Application (ASIK). ASIK will keep track of vaccinations taken during the immunization month's implementation. In the future, such immunization data would be stored like data on COVID-19.
"We will give this application to all health centers, health offices. The vaccination process will also be like the COVID-19 vaccine; there is data and we already know who should be vaccinated," Sadikin said.
Related news: Parents should ensure complete immunization of children: minister
Meanwhile, Riau Islands Governor Ansar Ahmad commended the minister for selecting Riau Islands province for the launch of the immunization month. This would certainly help instill the spirit of pursuing a high rate of immunization in the Riau Islands, he added.
Governor Ahmad informed that more than 24 thousand children spread across all districts and cities in Riau Islands are targeted for immunization during the month.
He also said that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the rate of Complete Basic Immunization in Riau Islands province, which has recorded a significant decline from 96.8 percent in 2019 to 89.6 percent in 2020 and 81.3 percent in 2021.
"This is because several public health centers have had to be closed or have had their operation halted to reduce or avoid the transmission and spread of COVID-19," he added.
Related news: 2020 basic immunization achievement lowest in past decade: IDAI
Translator: Ogen, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
