Measles vaccination coverage has fallen sharply in the last two years.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The Ministry of Health noted an increase in cases measles in Indonesia throughout 2022. A total of 3,341 infections were reported, this number jumped 32 times from the previous year, which was around 200 cases.
Director of Immunization Management of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Prima Yosephine said that one of the reasons for the soaring cases of measles was due to the sharp decline in measles vaccination coverage in the last two years. It is known, the Covid-19 pandemic in the last two years has had a major influence on parents’ concerns about taking their children outside the home.
“Children who do not receive immunizations will certainly be at greater risk of diseases that can be prevented through immunization, including the worry is measles, measles is the most contagious,” said Prima in an online press conference, Friday (20/1/ 2023).
Prima also reminded, measles will be very dangerous if complications occur. The impact can cause severe diarrhea to death.
“Complications for measles are generally severe. If measles affects a child who is malnourished, this child can immediately be accompanied by complications such as severe diarrhea, pneumonia, pneumonia, inflammation of the brain, infection in the lining of the eye which can lead to blindness. This is what we are worried about,” he said.
In general, symptoms of measles can include fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, followed by the appearance of reddish spots on the skin. Usually appear 2 to 4 days after the initial symptoms. Measles is caused by the measles virus and is transmitted through droplets, splashes of saliva when coughing, sneezing, talking, or through nasal secretions. And measles is a very contagious disease.
Prevention of measles can only be obtained from immunization so immunization according to the schedule must be carried out so that children are protected from measles. The situation in Indonesia in the last 2 years or almost 3 years since the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has had bad implications for immunization coverage.
Immunization coverage has dropped significantly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has caused many children to not be immunized. Throughout 2022, Indonesia has 12 provinces that have issued extraordinary incident statements (KLB). An area is called an outbreak if there are at least two cases of measles in the area that have been confirmed in the laboratory and these cases have an epidemiological relationship.
“During 2022, the number of measles cases in our country was indeed quite a lot, more than 3,341 case reports. These cases have spread to 223 regencies/cities in 31 provinces,” said Prima.
The number of these cases were obtained over a period of 1 year from January to December 2022. When compared to 2021, there was a significant increase of approximately 32 times.
The reason is because for 2 consecutive years Indonesia has not been able to reach the target for routine immunization services. So many children are not routinely immunized due to Covid-19.
The government is strengthening measles and rubella surveillance. So cases suspected of measles rubella, namely patients who have fever and rashes, must have specimens taken and examined in the laboratory.
So strengthening surveillance is carried out by immediately finding suspected cases of measles-rubella and immediately reporting so that patients can be treated immediately and carry out further examinations.
“The government is targeting to eliminate measles and rubella in 2023 as soon as possible. Elimination is a situation where we can reduce the number of illnesses caused by measles in such a way that it certainly won’t become a public health problem anymore. But with the increase in measles cases in our country, of course the dream of achieving this elimination will be rather difficult to realize this year,” said Prima.
