Japan helps immunization program

JAKARTA: The government of Japan handed over a donation worth 140 million yen (about Rp 10 billion) to help a tetanus toxoid immunization program in 12 provinces throughout Indonesia.

The donation, which included 736,540 vials of tetanus toxoid vaccine and 5.89 million syringes, was handed over by Hideaki Domichi, the charge d'affairs of the Japanese Embassy, to Dadi S. Argadiredja, secretary general of the Ministry of Health, it was reported on Wednesday.

"The donation has been made because neonatal tetanus is one of the most threatening diseases for infants and mothers in this country," Domichi said.

Dadi quoted current data as showing that 9.8 percent of nearly 184,000 newly-born babies died every year from tetanus.

The 12 provinces to avail of the program are North Sumatra, Riau, Lampung, Jakarta, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, East Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Bali and West Nusa Tenggara. -- JP