"This is colossal work, a joint collaboration to create healthy future generations," Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria stated here on Friday.
Patria added that currently, Jakarta is ranked first in providing additional measles-rubella (MR) immunizations, with a coverage of 90.54 percent, or 648,037 children under the age of five.
The government is currently focusing on immunizing the rest of the children under five that have not received the additional immunizations.
"There are around 10 percent left. (We) continue to move for healthy and strong Indonesian children," he stated.
Patria lauded the support of all parties and the commitment of regional leaders and apparatus, the Family Welfare Movement (PKK) cadres, community leaders, religious leaders, and integrated health services post (posyandu) cadres. In addition, he lauded the community that has been involved in the implementation of the second phase of immunizations.
"This is a joint effort in providing protection for children," he stressed.
The Jakarta government and other provincial governments in Java and Bali islands simultaneously held the 2022 National Child Immunization Month (BIAN) program that commenced in early August.
According to Jakarta Health Office Head Widyastuti, the government targeted 715,782 children under the age of five to receive the measles and rubella vaccines during the 2022 BIAN program.
Earlier, the Health Ministry stated that the 2022 BIAN is being implemented to boost basic immunization coverage among children that was hindered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"After (the number of) COVID-19 (cases) starts to decline, we will start pursuing vaccines for children, which include basic and mandatory vaccines for children," spokesperson for the ministry, Mohammad Syahril, stated.
According to the ministry's data, more than 1.7 million infants in Indonesia did not receive basic immunization during the 2019-2021 period.
Hence, implementation of the 2022 BIAN is expected to increase basic immunization coverage among children.
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Translator: Dewa Ketut, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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