Immunization not only a preventive measure to prevent transmission of disease, but
also the baby's health investment in the future. Want proof?
Anyone would know the immunization. In fact, probably most of us have never been immunized when we were kids.
Immunization is an attempt to induce or enhance immune activation against specific diseases.
Unfortunately, there are still groups of people who still doubt the benefits of immunization to their children. In
fact, immunizations are not just creating immunity, but it is also
important to break the chain of transmission of the disease in children
and those around him.
In
developing countries, including Indonesia, Diseases Preventable by
immunization (PD3I) remains a leading cause of death and disability of
children. Approximately five percent of deaths among children under five caused by PD3I. Therefore, it is critical immunization efforts made to mitigate the morbidity and mortality.
Intensified
Immunization in Indonesia was first performed in 1956, starting with smallpox immunization. Since then, the scope and type of immunization continues to be expanded. Today,
there are five Immunization vaccines given to infants and children in
Indonesia to prevent seven infectious diseases, namely Tuberculosis,
Polio, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Measles, and Hepatitis B.
Immunization activities are also more evenly distributed throughout the region. If
the new 2008 68.3 percent of the 65 781 villages have achieved
Universal Child Immunization (UCI), after the acceleration in 2010,
coverage reached 75.3 percent of the 75 990 villages.
One concrete example of the success of immunization programs is important, that is free of smallpox. In 1974, Indonesia officially declared smallpox-free countries. Meanwhile, other cases of the disease PD3I also decline. Measles, for example, from 24 388 cases in 2008, fell to 17 139 cases in 2010. Neonatal tetanus were reported as many as 198 cases in 2008, the last few years to about 137 cases.
For polio, even though there is no more polio cases in recent years, the threat from abroad is still there. Some countries in the world still reported wild polio virus. Because
not all reach the village of UCI, meaning there are still pockets of
villages that could potentially occur Extraordinary Events (KLB).
To anticipate this situation, since 2009 an additional immunization campaigns have been conducted in three phases. The
first phase conducted in 2009, the second phase in 2010, and the last
held in 2011 in 17 provinces in Indonesia with a coverage target of at
least 95 percent of all children under five.
This
year, Indonesia together the countries in Southeast Asia are committed
to make 2012 the Year of Intensification of Routine Immunization or
Intensification of Routine Immunization (IRI).
Addressing the issues
Immunization would need to get the full support of all parties, including the community. Because,
until now still found a number of challenges in the provision of
immunizations, such as parental understanding is still lacking in most
of the society, false myths related to immunization, geographical
constraints, till late in the immunization schedule.
Communities
also need to be more careful and cautious in addressing immunization
related information, such as addressing co-occurring post-immunization
(Kipi) is heavy.
For example, when a polio outbreak occurred in West Java, a child was paralyzed after getting polio vaccine. With
a virus (virology) proved that the paralysis is caused by wild polio
virus that had attacked the child before he got polio immunization.
Similarly to the case of other heavy Kipi. After
review of experts in the field, proved that Kipi is due to other
diseases that have been there before, not due to immunization.
To
address the case of Kipi, the public should refer to the information
provided by the Regional Committee (Komda) Kipi in the province or the
National Committee (Commission) Kipi in Jakarta. Because
the news or report suspicions of Kipi always studied scientifically by
experts-experts, as experts of infectious diseases, immunizations, and
immunology in the committee.
Indeed, people do not have any doubt as to the safety and benefits of immunization. Currently,
194 countries around the world believe that immunization is safe and
beneficial to prevent outbreaks, severe illness, disability, and death
in infants and toddlers.
In fact, countries with high socioeconomic level and still continue to carry out the immunization program. Including, countries predominantly Muslim, with immunization coverage of more than 85 percent.
Disease
prevention through immunization is a way of protection against
infection of the most effective and far cheaper than the already fallen
ill and had to be hospitalized.
Thus, immunization can be said for the future health investment. Instead, all infants and toddlers fully immunized. By
avoiding a child from a dangerous infectious disease, then they have
the chance move, play, learn without disturbance of health problems.