Jakarta. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin will visit Sumenep, East Java, on Thursday morning following a measles outbreak that has killed 17 people, most of them children.

Health experts warn that the rise in measles cases has also been fueled by misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. Some parents have refused vaccines on religious grounds, claiming they are haram, while others fear their children will develop fevers after being immunized.

"Measles can actually be prevented through immunization, so we will revamp our immunization strategy to make it more effective,” Budi told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday.

He compared the outbreak to the recent polio resurgence in Aceh, which he said stemmed from disrupted immunization programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Just like the polio outbreak, this measles outbreak occurred because immunization was interrupted during the pandemic. Now we must accelerate immunization so no more children fall victim to measles, which can be fatal,” he said.

To curb the outbreak, the East Java provincial government has launched a mass measles immunization drive in Sumenep, with support from the Ministry of Health and local universities. Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said at least 9,825 measles vaccine doses have been distributed, alongside vitamin A supplements provided by the provincial government.

“Measles immunization is being carried out simultaneously in Sumenep. At least 9,825 vaccine doses have been prepared with additional health workers deployed from Airlangga University in Surabaya. Vaccination must also reach remote areas so that every child in Sumenep can receive measles immunization and boosters,” Khofifah said on Tuesday.

The immunization program will run from August 25 to September 14, with a target of vaccinating 95 percent of children in Sumenep. Airlangga University has deployed medical and paramedical teams to help speed up coverage.

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