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)