Children’s Health Under Threat

Kompas/Rony Ariyanto Nugroho

Some students of SD Negeri Cigadung elementary school, Bandung, West Java, given Measles Rubella immunization on Friday (11/8). The government is currently carrying out an MR vaccine program to schools. The purpose of the vaccines given to children aged nine to 15 months is to save the children from congenital abnormalities such as hearing disorders, vision impairment, heart disorder and mental disorder caused by rubella at the time of pregnancy.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The health of Indonesian children is under threat. The increasing number of diphtheria cases shows the immunity of Indonesian children is not strong enough to protect them from disease. It is also because of the poor coverage of basic immunization. In fact, several children have yet to receive immunizations.

According to information that Kompas collected, a number of parents are reluctant to have their children immunized and doubt the quality of the vaccines. Junaidi, 34, an Aceh Besar resident, for example, refused to take his two children for immunizations because he was worried the vaccine quality was under standard due to poor storage.