According to information received here, Tuesday, mass polio immunization in Aceh Province began on Monday (November 28) in Pidie District.
In Pidie District, the polio immunization conducted for a week is targeted to cover 95,603 children aged up to 12 years.
"We have started to give mass polio immunization to children in Pidie District. Alhamdulillah, today, 14 thousand children have been immunized," Director General of Disease Prevention and Control of the ministry Maxi Rein Rondonuwu stated.
Apart from Pidie District, she said the Polio National Immunization Sub Week (PIN) would also be implemented in 21 other districts and cities in Aceh Province.
Polio immunization in Aceh Province is conducted in stages, with a total target of 1,217,939 children aged up to 12 years.
The first round of Polio Sub-PIN was implemented in Pidie District, starting November 28, 2022, and Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, Pidie Jaya, Bireun, North Aceh, and Sabang City, starting December 5, 2022.
The first round of immunization in other districts and cities in Aceh will start on December 12, 2022.
The second round of Polio Sub PIN is scheduled to take place from the fourth week of January 2023 in all areas of Aceh Province.
"Each round of Sub PIN will be carried out in one week, plus five sweeping days," Rondonuwu noted.
"The minimum gap between rounds is one month, with an achievement target of at least 95 percent in all regions," she added.
If the risk of polio transmission is still found, she stated that the government will hold the next round of Polio Sub-PIN to ensure that transmission of a viral infection that can cause paralysis is completely halted.
Rondonuwu stressed the importance of support from all levels of government officials and all strata of society for the success of the Polio Sub PIN.
Parents, who have children aged up to 12 years in Aceh Province, are encouraged to take them to the nearest health service facility or immunization post to receive the polio immunization.
"Let us together protect our children from polio and other immunization-preventable diseases. Let us take our children to the puskesmas, posyandu, and other immunization service posts to get immunized," Rondonuwu remarked.
On October 9, 2022 the health ministry recorded one case of acute paralysis in a seven-year-old child in Pidie District, Aceh Province.
The results of examination of the stool sample showed that the child had type 2 VDPV polio.
Rondonuwu explained that transmission of the polio virus has recurred in Pidie District due to the low coverage of polio immunization in that area.
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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma Shanti, Katriana
Editor: Sri Haryati
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