Pidie Regency Government Sets Outbreak Status For Polio Cases Attacking 7-Year-Old Boy

BANDA ACEH, KOMPAS.com – The District Government of Pidie, Aceh determined the discovery of a polio case in Pidie as an extraordinary event (KLB).

Acting Pidie Regent Wahyudi Adisiswanto made the statement after receiving a report that a child had tested positive for the polio virus.

Read also: Polio, the origins of its eradication in Indonesia

“With the discovery of polio cases in Pidie, we are declaring this an extraordinary incident, because as we know, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries have been declared polio-free and the world is currently moving towards eradication for eliminate polio from all countries”. Wahyudi said at the Pidie Regent’s office on Friday (11/18/2022).

Read also: History of the polio vaccine

The case of polio or paralysis in a child found in Pidie was confirmed by the laboratory test results of Prof. Sri Oemijati, Jakarta Ministry of Health, which is a national reference laboratory.

“The child with the initials A, 7 years old, initially had a fever and then pains in the joints and weakness in the limbs appeared. After physical and laboratory examinations, it was found that the patient was infected with the polio virus,” Wahyudi said.

On the same occasion, Pidie Health Service Chief Dr Arika Aboebakar said her party, along with a team from Aceh Health Service, the Ministry of Health, WHO and UNICEF, had carried out an initial response to this incident in the form of an Epidemiological Investigation (PE), including the search for further cases in the affected areas, both in the area and through visits to local health authorities and hospitals.

They also did revision vaccination coverage and evaluation of social conditions to find out how the community in the affected areas accepts immunization.

In addition, the coordination and activation of the Rapid Action Team (TGC) will also take place immediately.

“It should be noted that the polio virus is transmitted through water contaminated with feces containing the polio virus. If this virus enters the body of a child who has not received a full polio immunization, the virus will multiply, enter the digestive tract and attack the child’s nervous system, which can cause paralysis,” Arika said.

“This can happen if vaccination coverage is low for a long time. Coupled with poor environmental sanitation, such as open defecation (BABS),” Arika explained.