President Jokowi Urges Papua to Participate in 2024 National Immunization Week
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: On Tuesday, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) called upon the people of Papua to actively participate in the 2024 National Immunization Week (PIN) to ensure its success. During a visit to an integrated health post in Jayapura District, Papua Province, President Jokowi emphasized the importance of administering the polio vaccine to all toddlers and children in the region as PIN enters its second phase.
President Jokowi highlighted the significant threat posed by the polio virus to the future generations of Indonesia. He warned that unvaccinated toddlers and children are at risk of paralysis due to the virus’s potential to attack their central nervous systems, underlining its highly infectious nature.
“The disease is highly infectious, and children who are not immunized are vulnerable to paralysis,” President Jokowi stated. He assured that the government remains committed to promoting polio vaccination, particularly in Papua, and urged that children receive the vaccine in four doses.
The President noted that his administration has been working diligently to enhance polio vaccination efforts in response to a global rise in polio cases. “We are urging local health offices to increase the rate of polio vaccination in their respective regions,” he said.
Additionally, President Jokowi called on the Ministry of Health and regional health offices across Indonesia to act swiftly in safeguarding the nation’s children from the debilitating disease. “I urge all health offices at the provincial, district, and municipal levels to intensify efforts to encourage parents to vaccinate their children and prevent paralysis,” he emphasized.
First Lady Iriana, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, and Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian joined President Jokowi for the visit, which coincided with the celebration of the 40th National Children’s Day.
