Dante: The Need for Innovation in Immunisation Education to Reduce Zero-Dose Children

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Health Minister (Wamenkes) Dante Saksono Harbuwono stated the need for innovation in education to tackle the issue of unvaccinated children, given that there are still 2.3 million zero-dose children in Indonesia.

Speaking in Bandung, West Java, on Tuesday, Wamenkes Dante said one of the issues hindering increased immunisation coverage is differing religious understandings, such as concerns about the halal status of vaccines or hoaxes claiming that immunisation causes autism.

He assured that immunisation is halalan thayyiban (halal and good).

“Indeed, the measles vaccine uses porcine trypsin in its basic material to separate the growth cells. It uses porcine trypsin, but then it is purified or refined. Separated. Until the final product no longer contains porcine trypsin,” said Wamenkes Dante.

He mentioned that the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has tested this matter. Therefore, he said, the role of religious leaders is important in this education.

He gave the example of Aceh as one form of such educational innovation. He mentioned that one regent in Aceh issued a decree requiring at least once a month a Friday sermon on immunisation.

According to him, this step is commendable and should be replicated in various regions, because it turns out that fathers are the ones who decide whether children are immunised or not, even though much socialisation is directed at mothers at posyandu health centres.

Regarding vaccines causing autism in children, he said, based on empirical studies involving millions of people, there is no such side effect. Therefore, he continued, the safety of the vaccine can be assured.

“There are no problems, no side effects from vaccination. I am just sharing based on my own experience and want to exemplify that immunisation is safe. And importantly, it is halalan thayyiban,” he said.

Currently, he continued, the government is intensively promoting education during working days in ministries and agencies, with media assistance, to educate fathers about the importance of immunisation.

The hope is that if everyone works together, zero-dose cases in Indonesia can be eliminated within five years. Thus, he said, incidents like the recent measles outbreak can be avoided.