Round 1 Additional Polio Immunization Reaches Target; Here's the Regional Distribution

The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) conducted a supplementary polio immunization, or Sub-National Immunization Week (Sub-PIN), round 1, from February 19-25, 2024.

This event involved administering additional polio drops to children aged 0-7 years throughout Central Java, East Java, and Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta.

Director General of Disease Prevention and Control at Kemenkes, Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, stated that the immunization was carried out in various locations such as community health centers (puskesmas), sub-community health centers (puskesmas pembantu), integrated service posts (posyandu), educational institutions (early childhood education, kindergartens, and primary schools/equivalent), and other immunization posts coordinated by the Puskesmas.

“Each round of Sub-PIN is conducted within one week, followed by a one-week sweeping period. The minimum interval between rounds is one month, with a coverage rate of at least 95%,” said Maxi in an online press conference on Thursday, January 25, 2024.

The supplementary polio immunization in the first round met its target. Of the 4.63 million target children aged 0-7 years in East Java, 4.60 million, or 99.2%, received the immunization.

In Central Java, the target was 3.90 million children. The actual number exceeded the target, reaching 3.91 million children, or 102.2%.

In Sleman, Yogyakarta, the target was 112,728 children. The first round of the Sub-PIN Polio program reached 114,061 children, or 101.2%.

This data is based on real-time field data, not from the Data and Information Center (Pusdatin) collected by Kemenkes.

“Let's maintain this achievement to become polio-free, following the global target of a polio-free world by 2026. We also urge everyone to complete their polio immunization,” said Maxi.

The second round of the Sub-PIN polio program will be held from February 19-25, with the same target of 95% coverage.

(See also: Polio Infections Increase in Aceh: Vaccination Coverage Over the Past 5 Years)