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Rubella-measles vaccination rate low in Bekasi
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Children receive vaccinations during National Immunization Week in Depok, West Java, on March 8, 2016. (ANTARA FOTO/Teresia May)
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overage of rubella-measles vaccinations in schools in Bekasi, West Java, is less than 65 percent, as many Islamic schools refuse to provide the vaccine, an official has said.
The Bekasi Health Agency’s disease and prevention control head, Dezi Syukrawati, said on Wednesday that 52 schools had below 65 percent coverage.
“Eighty percent of them are Islamic schools," said Dezi as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com.
Dezi further said the agency had coordinated with the city’s education agency and the Religious Affairs Ministry, as well as the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) to educate the public on the importance of the vaccine.
"Our suspicion is that parents are worried about vaccinations due to fake vaccine cases. We guarantee that this vaccination is safe and necessary for children," she said.
Some Muslims have voiced their concerns over the rubella-measles vaccination, believing that the vaccine contains pork gelatin.
According to health agency data, 60,251 children between 9 months and 15 years old have yet to be vaccinated. (agn)
