Haji Hospital in Medan Vaccinates 900 Medical Staff Against Measles, Preventing Outbreaks
Haji General Hospital in Medan is implementing a mass measles vaccination program targeting at least 900 medical staff and healthcare workers. This step is being taken as a preventative measure in light of the increasing trend of measles cases in the North Sumatra region in 2026.
The implementation of this vaccination is a follow-up to the national program of the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) to strengthen the immunity of frontline health workers. Given that healthcare workers are in a high-risk zone due to their daily direct interaction with patients, the administration of the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine is a top priority.
The management of Haji Hospital in Medan stated that of the total target, the vaccination process is being carried out in stages to ensure that the hospital’s operational services continue to run smoothly. This vaccination aims not only to protect individual healthcare workers but also to create safety for patients who come for treatment.
Measles has often been considered a childhood disease. However, medical data shows that adults who have never been infected or have an incomplete vaccination history are still at high risk of serious complications such as pneumonia or encephalitis.
North Sumatra is one of 14 priority provinces for measles control nationally. In addition to Haji Hospital in Medan, several other referral hospitals such as H. Adam Malik Hospital are also pursuing similar vaccination targets for thousands of their personnel.
The public is urged to remain vigilant for measles symptoms such as high fever, cough, runny nose, and the appearance of red rashes on the skin. The government continues to encourage maximum coverage of routine immunisations in children to form strong herd immunity in the community.
Deputy Minister of Health, Dante Saksono Harbuwono, explained that the issue of vaccine halal certification is not an obstacle to immunisation. The measles vaccine has been purified and declared halal by the Indonesian Council of Islamic Scholars (MUI).
Measles symptoms usually appear about 10 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. The symptoms develop in several distinct phases.
The latest data shows a significant increase in recent times, with thousands of confirmed cases and dozens of deaths recorded in early 2026.
Secondary bacterial pneumonia occurs due to bacterial infection during or after contracting measles.
The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) has officially issued a permit for the use of measles vaccines produced by PT Bio Farma for adults.
The Ministry of Health is prioritising measles vaccination for 290,000 healthcare workers and intern doctors, following the BPOM’s approval of the expansion of the indication for the MR vaccine for adults.