Polio Infection Increases in Aceh, Vaccination Coverage Over the Past 5 Years

The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has found additional children infected with the polio virus in Pidie Regency, Aceh.

This finding was obtained from stool examinations through Targeted Healthy Stools Sampling, as recommended by the WHO, conducted on children under five years old living near the location of the first polio case.

"From the examination of 19 children, three were found to be positive for the polio virus," said Kemenkes spokesperson dr. Muhammad Syahril in a press release on Thursday (24/11/2022).

Although infected, the three children who tested positive for the polio virus were not included in the 'case' criteria, as they did not meet the criteria for acute flacid paralysis (AFP).

"Monitoring efforts continue, including house-to-house screening to ensure that there are no additional unreported cases of flaccid paralysis," said dr. Syahril.

The first polio case was found in Pidie Regency in early November 2022. The Pidie Regency Government has declared this a Polio Extraordinary Event (KLB) in its region.

"Polio is very dangerous for children because its effects are permanent for life, causing paralysis, and there is no cure. However, this condition can be easily prevented through complete polio immunization, both bOPV oral immunization and IPV injection immunization," explained dr. Syahril.

"Therefore, we must protect the future of our children by providing complete polio immunization vaccinations," he continued.

Before this case was found, polio immunization coverage in Aceh Province in recent years has been consistently low, as seen in the graph.

During the period 2017-2021, Aceh's polio immunization coverage was always below the national average. The COVID-19 pandemic also contributed to the decline in polio immunization coverage in the province in 2020-2021.

In addition to low immunization rates, the level of hygiene among Aceh's population is also considered to be still poor, making it one of the risk factors for transmission of the virus.

"The presence of the polio virus in the stool of the three children indicates that the population's hygiene practices are still lacking. This polio virus is transmitted through the digestive tract, while the community's defecation activities are still carried out in rivers, not in toilets, so there is virus circulation and potential transmission there," said dr. Syahril.