Door-to-door vaccination reaches more under-fives

Door-to-door vaccination reaches more under-fives

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Although many parents were reportedly reluctant to bring their
under-fives for polio vaccination on Tuesday, the administration
said on Wednesday that the number of babies vaccinated was much
higher than its initial estimate.

"We are still collecting data from the five municipalities and
one regency in the capital. The most recent information we have
is that the number of vaccinated babies is around at 878,372,"
said Jakarta Health Agency spokesperson Zelvyno.

The agency estimated earlier the number of under-fives in the
capital at between 700,000 and 800,000.

Zelvyno attributed the higher number of vaccinated infants to
those receiving the vaccine in bus terminals, railway stations
and slum areas who were not registered as Jakarta residents.

The highest number of vaccinated infants was reported by East
Jakarta municipality with 262,216, followed by West Jakarta,
South Jakarta and North Jakarta municipalities with 191,006,
184,336 and 145,229 children respectively.

The lowest number was reported by the Thousand Islands regency
with only 2,461 babies, after Central Jakarta municipality with
93,124.

"We are continuing to count the number of immunized babies as
we will start today with the door-to-door immunization checks,
which will last for one week," Zelvyno added.

To curb the current polio outbreak -- which was first
discovered early last month in Sukabumi, West Jakarta, some 60
kilometers south of Jakarta, the government has launched a mass
immunization campaign across the country.

Even toddlers who were immunized earlier are given two drops
of the oral polio vaccine. The government believes that the extra
dosage won't harm the children. Those who are immunized will have
the nail of their little finger marked with ink.

However, some parents are refusing to bring their children for
vaccination, arguing that their babies were immunized recently in
the hospital.

The first round of a national vaccination drive has been
launched by the government in three provinces -- West Java,
Banten and Jakarta -- with some 6.4 million babies being
targeted.

The Ministry of Health revealed on Tuesday that many babies in
remote areas had yet to be vaccinated as a result of difficulties
reaching them and a shortage in vaccines.

The government is slated to carry out the second round of
vaccination on June 28.

Indonesia had claimed to be free of the disease for 10 years
after the government set up integrated health centers (Posyandu)
in almost every neighborhood unit in the country during the
Soeharto administration. Children were immunized in these posts
against various diseases, including polio.

However, since the crisis struck the country's economy in
1997, the posts have drastically reduced their activities,
leaving many children unimmunized.