Polio vaccine safe

It is most unfortunate that a child died on the day of National Immunization Day and gave the impression to some that this death was associated with polio vaccine (Sept. 12, 1996). Careful investigation by the health authorities found that this child had been ill for several days and happened to receive a dose of polio vaccine orally hours prior to his death. There is no logical association of the death of this child with the oral polio vaccine.

We wish to point out that with more than 200 million doses of oral polio vaccine given annually worldwide, there is not a single known adverse effect within hours after vaccination. The short term safety record of oral polio is incontrovertibly established. It is through such efforts as the National Immunization days that Indonesia has an excellent chance of eliminating polio within the next few years. We hope this incident, which is not related to polio vaccine, will not detract from the current effort of eliminating one of the most deadly disease of childhood.

What is more unfortunate than the case reported on Sept. 12 however is the unreported fact that 1000 under-five children still die everyday in Indonesia, mainly as a result of relatively easily preventable illness, and that the Ministry of Health and ourselves are committed to dramatically reduce this toll. This effort deserves financial and other support from all sectors of society.

STEPHEN J. WOODHOUSE

UNICEF Representative

Jakarta