The ministry's director of immunization, Prima Yosephine, stated on Wednesday that the total number of unvaccinated children has increased to around 900 thousand.
"Through our national immunization month in 2022, we were able to suppress our zero dose figure from more than one million to 600 thousand in 2023. Unfortunately, our coverage in 2023 and 2024 did not meet expectations," she remarked.
The 2025 World Immunization Week adopts the theme "Immunization for All is Humanly Possible," while the national theme is "Let's Complete Immunization, Healthy Generation for Golden Indonesia."
According to the 2022 World Health Organization (WHO) data, Yosephine noted that Indonesia ranked seventh globally in the number of unvaccinated children.
Hence, this occasion is a crucial opportunity to advocate for the importance of children's immunization.
Yosephine explained that immunization significantly contributes to improving the Human Development Index (HDI) by reducing the risk of unexpected death and increasing life expectancy.
She added that immunization is the most effective preventive measure, as it helps create herd immunity.
She also highlighted the importance of health workers' role in taking a personal and empathetic approach when educating parents about the importance of immunizing their children.
She then stressed that free vaccines funded by public taxes are of equal quality and safety as those available in private facilities, with a distribution permit from the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).
The complete routine immunization consists of basic immunizations for infants aged zero to 11 months, including one dose of HBO, one dose of BCG, three doses of DPT-HB-Hib, four doses of polio drops (OPV), one dose of polio injection (IPV), and one dose of Measles-Rubella.
For children aged 18 to 24 months, immunization includes one dose of DPT-HB-Hib vaccine and one dose of Measles-Rubella.
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Translator: Mecca Yumna, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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