Immunization is a public health effort, which has been proven to be the most cost-effective and has a positive impactJakarta (ANTARA) - East Java's success in achieving the highest coverage of the 2022 National Child Immunization Month (BIAN) nationally showcased priority to protecting children from measles and rubella through preventive efforts, province's Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa stated.
"Praise be to God, East Java Province achieved the highest percentage of BIAN vaccination nationally. This showed that all strategic elements in East Java Province always prioritized child protection from measles and rubella through preventive efforts," Parawansa noted in a written statement received here, Tuesday.
As of September 25, 2022, immunization achievement in the BIAN Phase II Program in East Java Province had reached 99.1 percent, or equal to 2,331,229 participants, aged 9-59 months, out of a total target of 2,399,159 children in East Java.
The program is implemented for free in all Early Childhood Education (PAUD) schools, kindergartens, as well as immunization service posts, such as integrated health center (posyandu), community health center (puskesmas), and hospitals.
Based on data from the Indonesian Health Ministry, East Java is listed as the province with the highest achievement of child immunization nationally by exceeding the national average BIAN achievement of at least 89.7 percent.
Governor Parawansa said that this achievement could not be separated from the role of parents, health workers, and regional heads in local provincial districts and cities, community organizations, volunteers, and posyandu cadres.
Preventive protection for children in East Java was conducted by the local government through the provision of MR immunization or the Measles and Rubella Vaccine to prevent measles and rubella (German measles), she added.
"Thank you for the synergy and collaboration of all parties. Even though East Java's achievement is the highest, we continue to do sweeping (efforts focused) on children, especially for the less fortunate and disabled, to reach the 100-percent target," the governor noted.
She said that BIAN is an effort to save the nation's next generation that necessitates the community's full attention to complete their immunization.
"Immunization is a public health effort, which has been proven to be the most cost-effective and has a positive impact," Parawansa remarked.
She said BIAN was also in line with the efforts of the East Java provincial government in preventing stunting and reducing maternal and child mortality.
"I also hope that efforts to maximize (the administration of) vaccines in children are also conducted in the vaccination for diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis) or DTP, polio, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) that are expected to provide protection against Immunization Preventable Diseases (PD3I) in children," she concluded.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
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