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YOGYAKARTA – The City of Yogyakarta Health Office ensures that mandatory immunization services for babies are still accessible at designated health care facilities.
“Immunization services are still accessible through puskesmas, hospitals, clinics and independent midwife practices,” said the Chief of Communicable Disease Control and Immunization Section at Yogyakarta City Health Office, Endang Sri Rahayu in Yogyakarta, as reported by Between, Monday (4/5).
According to a letter from the Yogyakarta Special District Health Office regarding the implementation of routine immunizations, he said, a comprehensive immunization program for babies still needs to be carried out to improve children’s immunity against diseases for vaccines are available.
He explained that access to immunization services was not restricted, but the implementation was carried out by applying special protocols to minimize the risk of transmission of the coronavirus.
Health facilities that provide immunizations restrict hours of service and distance between patients and separate the route of immunization services from those for infectious diseases in order to reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus.
“Immunization services are also separate from sick patient services. For example, for waiting rooms because those who are going to be vaccinated must be in good health. Hopefully they are not infected with the disease,” Endang said.
It’s just that, according to him, many residents decided to postpone visits to healthcare facilities to access childhood immunization services because of the “stay home” rule to prevent transmission of the coronavirus.
Endang advises parents to consult a doctor or health worker if they wish to delay a child’s vaccination. Delayed childhood immunization schedules can still be tolerated for up to two weeks.
“Since March there has been a decrease in visits to access immunization services, especially for polio, because the vaccine is not yet available,” he said.
However, Endang ensures that vaccines for other mandatory immunization programs are available in sufficient quantities.
“We are implementing strict protocols for health services, even during vaccination. The hope is that people do not have to worry about coming because we are implementing health protocols,” he said.
So far, coverage of immunization services for babies has only reached 16.4% in the city of Yogyakarta. (Nofanolo Zagoto)
