IMMUNIZATION LAUNCHED TO PREVENT SPREAD OF DIPHTHERIA

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 12 (Antara) - The Ministry of Health is launching a simultaneous immunization program or "outbreak response immunization (ORI)" in three provinces in response to the emergence of diphtheria cases in some regions.         The immunization program was carried out in three provinces of Jakarta, West Java, and Banten. The program was started on Monday (Dec 11)     Director of Surveillance and Quarantine of the Ministry of Health, Jane Soepardi, said that the effort was taken to prevent the spread of diphtheria. The selection of the three provinces is based on the consideration that the cases of diphtheria and population density in these three provinces are quite high.         Besides immunization in schools, residents can get free vaccinations through puskesmas public healthcare centers. There are a number of cases of diphtheria reported in several other regions, such as in Aceh, Central Java, and East Java.          The Health Service of Aceh has recorded a total of 93 cases of diphtheria in the province since early this year.          "Up to Dec 2017, we have recorded 93 cases of diphtheria in Aceh, of which four of them died. The four who died were from the districts of East Aceh, North Aceh, Pidie Jaya, and Bireuen," Head of Disease Prevention and Control Affairs of Aceh¿s Health Service, Abdul Fatah, stated in Aceh on Tuesday.         Two other patients were found in Batang district, Central Java, and three in Situbondo District in East Java.