Fighting Rubella

Kompas/Haris Firdaus

The founder of the Rumah Ramah Rubella community, Grace Melia, carries her first child, Aubrey Naiym Kayacinta, alias Ubii, at her house in Sleman regency, Yogyakarta, Thursday (3/8). Ubii was born with serious medical problems such as hearing, heart and brain disorders because Grace contracted rubella when she was pregnant.

Grace Melia, 28, had rubella when she was pregnant, leading to her oldest daughter being born with disabilities. Grace has since become active in speaking about rubella in public. She stands in the front line in the campaign against rubella.

When she was pregnant with her eldest daughter in 2011, Grace did not realize she had contracted rubella. The disease, which she contracted in the first trimester of her pregnancy, often made her dizzy, shiver and fatigued. There were red rashes all over her body. Grace went to a doctor but was not diagnosed with rubella.