“All parties– patients, health workers and health centers – should receive protection. Immunizations should continue. People have a right to health care,” Nila said in a press conference in Jakarta.

Nila was commenting on a statement made by the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) on Monday, in which it said that it would call on its members to not vaccinate patients if the government failed to protect medical workers in the case.  

The minister also called for restraint among the public, urging people to not commit acts of violence against health workers.  She said the ministry would provide legal assistance to doctors named suspects by the police, including a doctor identified only by the initial H from Sayang Bunda Hospital in Bekasi, West Java, another doctor identified as I from Harapan Bunda Hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, and AR from Palmerah clinic in West Jakarta.

In 2015, 92 percent of children were vaccinated in the country. IDI secretary-general Adib Khumaidi said the achievement had surpassed the global target of 80 percent.

“This year, the government has allocated Rp 1.2 trillion (US$91.74 million) for the vaccination program. From that amount, Rp 800 billion has been allocated for the purchase of vaccines needed for basic immunizations,” Nila said. (bbn)

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