Indonesia to immunize 22 million children
Indonesia to immunize 22 million children
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Health Sujudi launched the final
round of the national antipolio drive yesterday, aimed at
immunizing nearly 22 million children under the age of five.
Sujudi urged parents to take their children to local
immunization posts even if they were vaccinated during the 1995
and 1996 antipolio drive.
"Being vaccinated more than once will not reduce their
resistance (to the disease), but will boost it," he said in
Ambon, Maluku, where he kicked off the anti-polio drive.
The current three-day campaign is the first of two phases of
the third and final round of the national drive.
The second phase will start on Oct. 7.
Throughout the country there are 286,000 immunization posts at
public locations such as health centers, bus stations,
kindergartens and child care centers.
According to Sujudi, a majority of children targeted for
immunization in Java and Bali were vaccinated yesterday.
"Parents who cannot bring their toddlers to immunization posts
will be visited by our people," said Sujudi.
Accompanying Sujudi yesterday were Maluku Governor M. Akib
Latukonsina, Deputy Governor R.S. Soeranto and Minister of Home
Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M.
Deputy Governor R.S. Soeranto said about 273,000 toddlers
throughout Maluku province would receive an oral polio
vaccination in the first phase of the campaign.
He said that during the second phase, toddlers in Ambon,
Central Maluku, North Maluku, Central Halmahera and Southeast
Maluku would also receive a measles vaccination.
Soeranto added that the government would also provide a
tetanus vaccination to women between 19 and 39 years old free of
charge.
In Irian Jaya, the anti-polio campaign is being assisted by
Pelita Air Service which has provided helicopters to reach many
remote areas in Sorong.
The anti-polio drive coordinator in Irian Jaya, Yusuf, said
the helicopters would be used to reach 32 villages scattered in
eight districts.
Meanwhile in East Timor, Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares
marked the start of the campaign by personally vaccinating one-
month-old Dirsia Araujo and Julio dos Santos Pereira at Fatuhada
village.
The campaign in East Timor is expected to include 144,720
toddlers from 442 villages.
In West Sumatra, about 514,100 toddlers are being targeted in
the drive. Over 5,710 immunization posts have been set up in
2,157 villages throughout West Sumatra, the provincial anti-polio
drive coordinator, Hawari Sidik, said.
In Southeast Sulawesi, Governor La Ode Kaimoeddin expressed
confidence that every single child would be immunized.
"I am optimistic that no toddler will miss this year's anti-
polio campaign," he said as quoted by Antara. He said the
provincial government prepared 2,110 immunization posts in 839
villages throughout the province to reach 204,800 toddlers. (09)