Opinions differ on vaccination of ill children

Opinions differ on vaccination of ill children

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After overseeing the polio immunization drive in her subdistrict
a few months ago, Dede Kartini, the immunization coordinator for
a community health center in South Jakarta is confident in her
job.

However, on the first day of the National Immunization
Campaign Week (PIN) last Monday, Dede reported that 65 percent of
5,464 children under the age of five in her area had been
vaccinated.

"Children were turning up at vaccination posts, but we had to
delay vaccinating some of them because they had a fever, cold or
cough," she said. "My officers would rather not risk giving them
the vaccines."

Although they were just being careful, it seems that Dede and
her officers may not know it all when it comes to polio
vaccination as the vaccine is safe, even for children with a mild
fever.

"Only children with a serious illness and those who have
problems with their immune systems cannot be vaccinated. Other
than that it is safe," said the Ministry of Health's director for
disease control and environmental health I Nyoman Kandun.

Nyoman said the ministry had been unable to quell the rumors
that vaccinating sick children was dangerous.

"The vaccine enters the stomach and prompts the development of
a local antibody in the intestines. The first two drops make a
child immune for 100 days. A booster of two more drops is
necessary before the end of the 100 days," he said.

The oral polio vaccine, unlike other vaccines, does not cause
a fever or intestinal problems, he added.

However, Jakarta Health Agency spokeswoman Zelvyno said the
agency had warned its officers to administer the vaccine with
care.

"We think it better to delay the vaccination of children with
severe diarrhea since the vaccine would be wasted," she said. "We
have seven days to administer the first round of polio
immunization."

The second round would be held in late September.

As of Thursday, the third day of the campaign week, the agency
had recorded the vaccination of 78 percent of its target group of
922,000 children.

Many vaccination officers in the capital have chosen to turn
away sick children.

A manual issued by the health ministry earlier in the year
instructed officers to consult with doctors before vaccinating
sick children.

"During the door-to-door checks, our officers would refer sick
children doctors to be examined first," Zelvyno said.

"For us it is better to delay vaccinating sick children until
they are well," said Martha, head of a community health center in
Jagakarsa, South Jakarta.

Meanwhile, according to Nyoman, it is better to vaccinate
children straightaway. "The sooner the better, because we do not
know what their chances are of infection," he added. (003)