Poor children to be immunized for polio

Poor children to be immunized for polio

Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government urged parents from all walks of life on Tuesday to
participate in the National Immunization Program (PIN) for polio
on Sept. 12 and Oct. 9 by allowing all children under five years
of age to be vaccinated.

Minister of Health Achmad Suyudi said that during the
immunization program, the children would also get a Vitamin A
supplement and children living in isolated areas would be
immunized against measles.

"Children should get the polio vaccines regardless of whether
their parents are homeless or refugees, or have no residential
cards, such as those living in slum areas or in areas of
conflict," he said during a press briefing at his office.

The government has provided 248,599 immunization posts to
serve 20.8 million children under five years old across the
country.

The PIN centers are available at baby health centers
(Posyandu), community health centers (Puskesmas), state-run and
privately-run hospitals, health clinics and strategic places like
bus and train stations, traditional markets, kindergartens and
children's playgrounds.

"The non governmental organizations, the National Police and
the National Army will help us conduct the program especially in
the areas of conflict like North Maluku and Aceh," Suyudi said.

Indonesia conducted national polio immunization drives in
1995, 1996 and 1997 which reportedly covered a total of 90
percent of the 25 million children aged under five years at that
time.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Indonesia
had to tackle between 25,000 to 60,000 cases of polio every year
before the polio immunization program. But there have been no
cases of polio reported in Indonesia since 1995.

WHO, however, recommended that Indonesia conduct another round
of polio immunizations in 2002 as the country's neighbors like
India, Afghanistan and Pakistan were still not free from polio.

"With the global trade and global travel, there is always a
possibility of getting a reintroduction of a polio. Therefore we
need to vaccinate children in Indonesia so they are properly
protected against polio," Georg Petersen, the WHO Representative
for Indonesia said.

He said that once polio eradication was achieved, Indonesians
could be commended for the delivery of public health to every
person regardless of race, sex, religion, economic status or
geography.

Minister Suyudi said that the country hoped that WHO would
declare Indonesia polio-free by 2005.

The immunization program will cost some Rp 103 billion, of
which some Rp 63 billion will come via grants from foreign donors
such as WHO, UNICEF, USAID, Rotary International, Aus AID, CDC
Atlanta and the Helen Keller Foundation.

They will purchase the polio vaccines from drug firms PT Bio
Pharma and distribute them to every provincial administration to
be distributed to villages.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Pediatrician Association chairman
Sri Rezeki S. Hadinegoro said that at least 1,320 pediatricians
were ready to help with the program.

According to her, 75 percent of people stricken with polio
never showed any significant symptoms. The mild symptoms that are
associated with polio are fever, fatigue, headaches, vomiting,
nausea, a stiff neck and pain in the legs.

Sri added that the virus could be present in the intestines
for two months before it attacked the human nervous system.

"It paralyzes humans by attacking the central nervous system
and can cause problems in the legs and/or respiratory problems.
Some can suffer from total paralysis within hours or even die
(after exposure)," she said.