Head of the West Java Health Office Nina Susana Dewi said that in addition to that coverage target, her administration was committed to achieving the target of 80 percent of additional immunizations. This commitment was voiced during the part-time review meeting phase II of the National Child Immunization Month (BIAN) campaign, which was conducted in collaboration with the Health Ministry, WHO, and UNICEF in Bandung City on August 31.
“We are committed to achieving the target of 95 percent of additional immunizations for Measles-Rubella and 80 percent of additional immunizations. To achieve this target, district and city medical workers and public health centers collaborate with the Family Welfare Team and health cadres at the sub-district, villages, and neighbourhood scopes,” she remarked.
Dewi also confirmed that evaluation and monitoring was being conducted with the head of the Family Welfare Team's leaders and other stakeholders, so that they could formulate further strategies including by utilizing all the potential of medical facilities and adding service posts.
She said the strategy to implement the immunization program in West Java was applied by improving the working groups and collaboration across programs and sectors in the region.
One of the approaches is through raising awareness and disseminating information pertaining to the immunization month through various platforms and media channels, such as social media for stakeholder leaders; regional, national, and local media; public social media; and offline talk shows with the media press.
“To prepare a winning generation that is strong, healthy. Once again, thank you, the utmost gratitude for all of those who have made efforts to make the National Child Immunization Month a success. May this effort always be a blessing for a better future for Indonesia," she remarked.
One of the issues in the program was the lack of public awareness of it due to the pandemic, she said.
According to UNICEF Indonesia's data, a significant decline in immunization coverage was recorded since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Indonesia has about one million babies, who did not or have yet to receive complete immunization for a year during the period from 2019 to 2021.
The Head of Disease Control and Prevention at the West Java Health Office, Ryan Bayusantika Ristandi, pointed out that several issues were plaguing the public regarding the measles-rubella immunization.
"For urban areas, one of them is because parents of toddlers do not have time to take their children to immunization centers," Ristandi remarked.
Moreover, parents had lingering concerns over the impact of double injections on immunization this time, he noted.
"They are still worried about the impact on their children because there is a double injection treatment despite us having explained that it will not have an impact," he said.
To pursue the immunization target at the 2022 child immunization month program, some other efforts would be made in collaboration with various stakeholders in West Java.
"There is time until September 13 to achieve the minimum target of up to 95 percent, including by adding immunization places, such as schools, Islamic boarding schools, and other places," he said.
The phase two meeting involved seven provinces in Java and Bali.
In West Java alone, immunization coverage still needed to be expedited in Depok City, Bekasi City, Bekasi District, Bandung City, Bogor District, and Cimahi City.
The meeting discussed various strategies to achieve the immunization target of at least 95 percent by September 13, 2022. The current average coverage for immunization in the program was 60 percent.
"Measles Rubella (vaccination rate) has only reached 60.4 percent, and for other immunizations, that being the extra immunization, it has only reached an average of above 40 percent," Ristandi remarked.
"Hopefully, with additional strategies, such as additional health facilities, additional schedules on Saturday and Sunday, and involving all parties, such as Family Welfare Team, scouts for disseminating information about the children immunization month can help immunization coverage," he stated.
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Translator: Ajat Sudrajat, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
