Vaccination targets 22 million

JAKARTA: The government will target 22 million children under five in next year's vaccination program.

Hadi Maryanto Abednego, director general of communicable diseases control, said the drive would be divided into three phases, with the first phase, an anti-polio drive, to begin in early September.

The second phase, against polio and measles, would be held in October while the third phase, anti-tetanus, would be held in November. The government would set up 285,973 posts to support the program, he said.

This represents an increase on this year's 275,000 posts, including health centers, hospitals, schools, bus terminals, airports, railway stations and harbors, he said.

Hadi said organizations mobilized to make the campaign a success, would include the Armed Forces, women's groups, non- governmental organizations, medical professionals and the private sector.

He hoped the collective effort would enable Indonesia to receive certification of polio-free status by 2003. Polio has been eradicated in the Americas, Europe, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Korea and Malaysia. (01)