Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture emphasizes that the commemoration of World Children's Day which falls on November 20 every year, must become a reminder of the fulfillment of basic immunization rights for children.
"World Children's Day is a momentum to fulfill children's rights to basic immunization," the ministry's deputy for coordinating health quality improvement and population development, Agus Suprapto, said here, Sunday.
He added that basic immunization was important to provide optimal medical protection for Indonesian children.
"Basic immunization is very useful to protect children from various diseases that can be prevented by vaccination, for example, polio, diphtheria, measles, rubella, hepatitis B, and various other diseases," Suprapto added.
Basic immunization can also support children's growth and development to become more optimal, considering that children are the next generation of the nation, he remarked.
"As the nation's next generation and future leaders, all parties must ensure that our children are able to grow and develop optimally," he conveyed.
He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic was feared to affect the coverage of basic immunization in the country.
"Thus the commemoration of World Children's Day can be the right momentum to pursue the target of basic immunization for children and increase the coverage of basic immunization for children in the country," he said.
Suprapto also stated that the government continued to intensify education and socialization to the public regarding the importance of basic immunization.
"The government has also created a National Child Immunization Month (BIAN) and School Children Immunization Month program to support the acceleration in increasing basic immunization coverage," he disclosed.
With the common awareness of the whole community to complete basic immunization for children, it is hoped that herd immunity will be achieved according to the target.
"The ministry invites the whole community to protect Indonesian children together through immunization. Please come to the community health center (puskesmas) immediately to get basic immunizations such as polio, DPT-HB-Hib, PCV, and measles-rubella," he said.
