VP Ma'ruf Amin Warns Against Polio Pandemic in Indonesia

Liputan6.com, Solo - Polio has re-appeared in Indonesia after years of its absence. The Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has determined the finding of poliomyelitis or Polio in Aceh as an Extraordinary Event (KLB).

Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin then instructed all the related parties to take care of the case of Polio immediately so that it does not spread and become a pandemic.

"I think it needs to be taken care of, so it will not become a pandemic like what happened before," said Ma'ruf in Solo, Central Java on Monday (21/11/2022).

This VP spoke after finding a type 2 Polio case in a 7-year-old child in Pidie Regency, Aceh. The boy could not walk properly as Polio affects his leg, but the Ministry of Health said the child has been recovering.

Ma'ruf encouraged the public to do early detection and Polio immunization thoroughly so that it does not spread.

"Don't let it spread," he said.

His affirmation related to the fact that once this disease spreads and becomes a pandemic, it will cause another issue in Indonesia—besides the COVID-19 pandemic that is still happening.

"If it becomes a pandemic, it will create problems like what we have experienced before, the immunization of polio needs to become a national movement," said Ma'ruf.

The government admits that immunization for polio has been low. Therefore, the government has now mobilized immunization in Aceh.

After the Polio case was found in Aceh, the government through the Ministry of Health declared it an Extraordinary Event and will start conducting mass immunization.

The immunization will be conducted on 28 November 2022 in Pidie. Previously, the government already admitted that the immunization was decreasing, including in Aceh.

"We plan (to conduct it) in Pidie on 28 November 2022," said Director General of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) of the Ministry of Health Maxi Rein Rondonuwu during an online press conference on Saturday (19/11).

"We hope it can be done in a week," he added.

Since the case was found in Aceh, the government also plans to conduct mass immunization in all regions in Aceh starting from 5 December 2022.

"On the 5th, it will be in all of the regencies/cities throughout Aceh," Maxi said.

Writer: Adelina Wahyu Martanti.

Nanda Perdana Putra contributed to this report.