Nationwide polio vaccination coverage must reach 95% to survive epidemics.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Health security and resilience expert from Griffith University, Australia, Dicky Budiman said the government needs to expand the scope of polio vaccination up to 95% nationwide to end polio epidemics in children. “What needs to be done immediately is a national vaccination program targeting children under five with the goal of covering 95% of the child population,” he said on Monday (11/28/2022).
Learning from a number of countries that have successfully managed polio, such as Sudan and Africa, he said, the polio vaccine must be given in two rounds. He explained, in general, the success of vaccination is seen only after 18 months. Within this period, an outbreak can be declared over if there are no more cases of polio or paralysis in the community.
He admitted that the 95% goal cannot be achieved easily, due to the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with a crisis of public confidence in government and vaccine-related conspiracies. Therefore, the government needs to work with stakeholders to expand the administration of vaccines to children, especially children under the age of five.
“Since there is an inadequate and uncontrolled conspiracy by the current government, this means that we need a proper risk communication strategy involving stakeholders,” said the epidemiologist.
“So, once the polio ‘epidemic’ is declared over, nothing is detected within 18 months polio virus in the community, including, there are no more cases of withered paralysis and this obviously needs to be backed up by strong surveillance and this needs to be done immediately,” he added.
He stressed that in response to the polio epidemic, the expansion of vaccination must be balanced with proper case management and improved sanitation in all parts of Indonesia. Another thing that needs to be strengthened is also the surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP).
“This is very important, for example one case of polio that occurs, can represent at least 200 cases of infection occurring in the community and this means that if there is only one case of polio it can already be declared an outbreak, it is a answer question,” he said.
He hopes the government is really serious about preventing polio epidemics from becoming more widespread. This is because the polio response cannot be made in one affected area alone. Rather, it is implemented nationwide to prevent more cases.
“The main response in dealing with polio epidemics is to have a plan that is very fast, precise and strong. This is the principle of an epidemic response, because delays will lead to many casualties when permanent paralysis can also lead to death ”said Dicky Budiman.
source: Between
