Health Ministry Declares Measles an 'Extraordinary Occurrence'

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Health on Thursday declared measles an extraordinary occurrence status (KLB) based on the number of cases across 31 Indonesian provinces up to December 2022. 

Health Ministry communication bureau head Dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi said the disease has spread across nearly every age demographic. There were over 3,000 cases reported last year from the provinces. 

“There were cases reported from 31 provinces up to December 2022. Patients came from every age demographic,” said Nadia on January 19, Antaranews reported. “There are 3,341 cases in 2022 that were reported from 223 regencies and cities from 31 provinces.”

Cases grew 32-fold during the Covid-19 pandemic 

The number increased 32 times higher which was caused by the measles immunization coverage that failed to meet its target from 2020-2022. 

Nadia said another reason the measles vaccination did not reach the intended target was due to the shift of focus from health services to the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Based on the Ministry of Health's report, the coverage of complete basic immunization in infants has decreased by 84 percent of the immunization target of 92 percent. Measles immunization is given simultaneously with the rubella vaccine in a Measles-Rubella vaccine package in three injections, namely at the age of 9 months and 18 months-old children.

UJI SUKMA MEDIANTI

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