Ministry of Health Begins Administering Measles Vaccines to High-Risk Medical Personnel
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Health is conducting the kick-off for measles immunisation for medical personnel and healthcare workers in Ministry of Health hospitals and regional general hospitals in 14 provinces with the highest number of measles cases, as well as intern doctors across Indonesia.
“This MR immunisation will be given to 39,212 medical personnel and 223,150 healthcare workers in the 14 provinces with the highest measles cases that I mentioned earlier, as well as 28,321 general practitioners and intensive care doctors throughout Indonesia,” said Acting Director General of Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health, Andi Saguni, during a press conference in Jakarta on Friday.
He mentioned that up to the time of the press conference, 565 healthcare workers and medical personnel had already received the measles immunisation. His side ensures that the immunisation will continue until all targets are reached.
Regarding the administration provisions, Andi said that if healthcare workers or medical personnel have a history of two doses of measles immunisation, no additional dose is needed.
“But if they have a history of only one dose of immunisation, one additional dose will be given. Then, if they have no immunisation history at all, two doses will be given with a minimum interval of 28 days,” he stated.
The dose administered, he said, is 0.5ml via subcutaneous injection or into the fatty tissue under the skin.
“This is through the Bandung City Health Office, with the Provincial Health Office, providing the MR vaccine, which is MR, around 20 vials per dose that will be given to 160 targets at the Bandung City Regional General Hospital,” he said.
In agreement, the Director of RS Adam Malik Medan, Zainal Safri, stated that his side welcomes the immunisation initiative well. According to him, this immunisation is very important and must be carried out throughout Indonesia.
“The hope is that incidents in adults, we as medical and healthcare personnel who are already adults do not occur, because our past measles immunisation histories may not be reliable,” he said.
His side has received 16 vials of MR vaccine, which will be given to 160 healthcare workers and medical targets on Friday.