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Lining up for jab at life
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Stay health! A baby cries as a health worker administers an anti-diphtheria vaccine at a clinic in Cibinong, Bogor regency, West Java, on Dec.5. (Antara/Yulius Satria Wijaya)
D
ozens of women and their children formed two long lines at a house’s garage on Jl. Srikaya in Rawa Buaya, Cengkareng, West Jakarta, on Monday,
They waited for their children’s turn to receive the diphtheria vaccine from community health center (Puskesmas) officials.
The line started at 9:30 a.m. and only dispersed at around noon when the stock for about 500 children ran out.
Irma Agustina, 29, a resident of community unit (RW) 11 of Rawa Buaya subdistrict, said she brought her 3-year-old daughter to be vaccinated to protect her from the current diphtheria outbreak.
“I knew about the vaccination program through pengajian [Quran study sessions]. I brought my child here to protect her from the disease,” Irma told The Jakarta Post.
She said her child’s best interest was above everything else, including rumors that vaccines were haram, or might contain substances forbidden in Islam.
Allaying her own fears, another resident, Ika, 30, also joined the queue with her 1-year-old.
