Ministry of Health Strengthens National Immunisation Programme, Focusing on Reaching Zero-Dose Children
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), together with development partners UNICEF and WHO, has reaffirmed the national commitment to strengthening the immunisation programme, focusing on reaching zero-dose children through the momentum of the 2026 World Immunisation Week (PID) peak.
Although showing progress, Kemenkes notes that there are still nearly 960,000 zero-dose children who have not received any immunisation at all, making them the primary focus of future interventions.
Acting Director General of Disease Control and Prevention at Kemenkes, Andi Saguni, in a written statement in Jakarta on Saturday, said that strengthening routine immunisation is the top priority for his office post-COVID-19 pandemic.
“After the pandemic, our immunisation coverage temporarily declined, and this is a serious concern. Routine immunisation is the main key. We must not be complacent because the risk of extraordinary events like measles, diphtheria, or pertussis could increase if coverage is not optimal,” said Andi Saguni.
“We ensure the availability of safe vaccines, even for the next nine months. There should be no more excuses for vaccine shortages. In addition, distribution and the quality of the cold chain in the regions must also be maintained so that immunisation runs optimally,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Director of Immunisation at the Ministry of Health, Indri, emphasised the importance of the 2026 PID momentum to accelerate the achievement of the national immunisation programme.
“Through a series of World Immunisation Week activities, we want to strengthen public awareness once again that immunisation is very important to protect our generation. This is not just a ceremonial activity, but a collective movement to ensure Indonesian children are healthier,” she said.
She also added that various innovations have been implemented to support the immunisation programme.
“More than 100 million doses of vaccines have been distributed through the The Big Catch-Up initiative in 36 countries. This proves that no child is unreachable if there is collective commitment. However, this campaign is not a substitute for a strong routine immunisation system,” said Jean Lokenga.
From a global perspective, WHO Indonesia representative Olivia stated that immunisation is one of the most effective and far-reaching public health interventions.
Therefore, she appreciated Indonesia’s commitment to actively organising World Immunisation Week.
“Not all countries celebrate World Immunisation Week on a massive scale like Indonesia. This shows strong commitment in increasing public awareness. However, challenges remain, particularly in reaching zero-dose children and increasing public trust,” she said.