Answering Questions about MMR Immunization is a Must or Not

In 2023, the government has a target to reduce the number of measles and rubella. To achieve this target, immunization is a mandatory requirement for children who wish to enter school.

According to the Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, Dante Saksono Harbuwono, quoted by ANTARA, the discourse to make immunization a mandatory requirement for entering schools has gone through coordination with the Ministry of Education and Culture, Research and Technology, Ministry of Religion, and Ministry of Home Affairs with a Joint Decree (SKB) of 4 Ministers.

In the agenda of the Commission IX Hearing Meeting (RDP), Dante said that all students were required to get immunizations through the School Children's Immunization Month (BIAS) so that national eradication could be achieved.

"The government must also check students' immunization history since infancy as mandatory data. This is useful to complete immunization for those who have not been immunized," he added.

Last August, School Children's Immunization Month (BIAS) was an activity for Elementary School-aged students at the national level. They will receive immunization against Measles, Rubella, and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Meanwhile, in November, students will receive DT (Diphtheria Tetanus) and TD (Tetanus-Diphtheria) immunizations. The dose given is one time for students in grades 1-6 with an age range of 7-12 years.

After carrying out the BIAS Program, target participants from their respective schools will report to the local Health Center to recapitulate vaccine and vaccinator logistics data. At the same time, the facilities for this program are organized by the school.

This is important to do, considering data from the Minister of Health in 2019-2021 that more than 1.7 million babies in Indonesia have not been immunized against Measles and Rubella. Of this figure, around 37.5% or 600 thousand babies come from the islands of Java and Bali.

However, this figure will decrease in 2022. Based on data from the National Childhood Immunization Month Program (BIAN), so far this year, 87.7% of babies in Java and Bali have received immunizations.

Meanwhile, 59.1% of babies outside Java and Bali have received BIAN stage 1. This month's next target (September 2022) is for babies who get immunizations to penetrate more than 60%.

Quoting from Hello Sehat, WHO explains that rubella infection can cause a mild rash and fever in sufferers, both children and adults.

In addition, this disease also attacks the lymph nodes and skin. Due to the increasing number of sufferers, all children must have the MMR vaccine.

The MMR vaccine is a vaccine to prevent measles (measles), mumps (mumps), and German measles (rubella).

Due to its mild symptoms, this disease is difficult to recognize. However, if you experience room for 2-3 days, low-grade fever (<39℃), headache, stuffy or runny nose, vomiting, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck and back of the head, then the patient should receive medical attention immediately.

Image source: Rubella Measles Pictures | picpedia.org