Measles Outbreak a Serious Wake-up Call, Not a Minor Illness, Says Indonesian Paediatricians Association Chief
Measles cases continue to rise and pose a life-threatening risk. According to Ministry of Health data, throughout 2025 a total of 63,769 suspected measles cases have been recorded, with 11,094 laboratory-confirmed cases and 69 deaths. In Sumenep district alone, 20 children have died from measles.
Dr Piprim Basarah Yanuarso, chairman of the Indonesian Paediatricians Association (IDAI), stated that the surge in measles cases across various regions is a serious alarm bell against treating the disease as a minor illness. Measles, he said, can cause severe complications including pneumonia, encephalitis, blindness and even death.
“Measles is not a minor illness; its complications can be severe. In my own practice I frequently encounter children with measles. And on average, these patients were not vaccinated, so this is really a wake-up call—an alarm that must make us realise that measles cannot be dismissed as trivial,” Dr Piprim said during a virtual discussion on Saturday (28 February 2026).
According to Dr Piprim, one of the core problems contributing to measles cases in children is the low vaccination coverage. Yet measles is a disease that can be prevented through immunisation, and the vaccine is available free of charge.
However, achieving adequate vaccination coverage is not straightforward. He cited various obstacles in the field, ranging from difficulties in accessing healthcare services, vaccine spoilage due to cold chain problems, to vaccine refusal or hesitancy resulting from myths circulating in the community.
Because measles is highly transmissible, vaccination coverage must be maintained at a high level to establish herd immunity. If coverage drops—for instance to around 60 per cent—disease outbreaks can easily occur across various regions.
“These outbreaks indicate that vaccination coverage targets have not been met. Although many doctors may have been deployed, if vaccines are unavailable, damaged or cannot be administered, measles cases still emerge everywhere,” Dr Piprim said.
Beyond immunisation, Dr Piprim emphasised the importance of improving nutrition, particularly high intake of animal protein to strengthen children’s immunity. He also urged parents to recognise danger signs of measles, such as difficulty breathing caused by pneumonia. Children showing severe symptoms must be immediately referred for hospitalisation.
“Parents must not leave children untreated at home without recognising danger signs, only for them to die from lack of adequate medical care,” he said.