Polio could be 'eradicated next year'<\/p>\n
Tb. Arie Rukmantara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After carrying out what it describes as two successful rounds of
\npolio vaccinations, the government is optimistic Indonesia will
\nreturn to polio-free status next year.<\/p>\n
That optimism is also shared by the World Health Organization,
\nMinister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari said on Tuesday during a
\nnew conference to mark National Health Day, which fell on Nov.
\n12.<\/p>\n
\"That statement does not come from my mouth. I was quoting
\nWHO leaders in Geneva who told me that based on Indonesia's
\nperformance in fighting the disease, the country would be polio-
\nfree by March next year,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The WHO, she added, had suggested that Indonesia hold an extra
\nround of vaccinations in March 2006.<\/p>\n
\"This would be an additional round of vaccinations, following
\nthe third round planned for later this month,\" the minister said.<\/p>\n
She said the third round of the national vaccination campaign
\nwas scheduled for Nov. 30 and was targeting about 23.4 million
\nchildren across the country.<\/p>\n
About 22.9 million children were vaccinated during the second
\nround of the drive in October. During the first round, about 22.2
\nmillion children were vaccinated.<\/p>\n
\"I encourage parents to have their children vaccinated again
\nduring these future vaccination rounds,\" Siti said.<\/p>\n
She said the third round of the program would cost about US$12
\nmillion, more than 60 percent of which would come from foreign
\ndonors.<\/p>\n
The WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), along
\nwith Rotary International, have actively been involved in the
\ngovernment's efforts to eradicate polio, which reemerged in
\nIndonesia in March after being absent for a decade.<\/p>\n
As of October, at least 269 Indonesian children under the age
\nof five in 10 provinces have contracted the disease this year.<\/p>\n
The executive director of the Coalition for a Healthy
\nIndonesia, Tom Malik, said the goal of eradicating polio in the
\ncountry by next year could only be achieved if the next rounds of
\nthe vaccination drive were able to overcome logistical and
\ninformation problems.<\/p>\n
\"It is a difficult task to assure that the vaccinations cover
\nall areas throughout the country at the same time. Moreover, some
\nparents are still afraid to take their children to the
\nvaccination posts because of the side effects they may have after
\nbeing vaccinated,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Tom urged the health ministry to make more of an effort to
\neducate the public about the vaccinations and to reassure them
\nthat the vaccinations do not harm the children.<\/p>\n
\"The ministry has done a good job of broadcasting social
\nservice ads. It should continue this work and it should
\ndisseminate more information to remote areas,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The government has said the third round of vaccinations would
\nhave a special focus on provinces like North Maluku, Papua and
\nWest Irian Jaya, where the first two rounds reached less than 90
\npercent of targeted children.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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