March 18, 2026 | 06:43 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As the Eid homecoming period approaches, the public is urged to be more aware of the risk of measles transmission. Aji Muhawarman, the Head of the Ministry of Health's Public Communication and Information Bureau, urges parents to make sure their children are fully immunized against measles and rubella before traveling.
"If a child experiences fever and rash, immediately seek health facilities and limit interactions with others," he said on March 17, 2026.
Local governments are urged to support accelerating immunization efforts, including strengthening case reporting and involving multiple sectors to increase public participation.
The Ministry of Health acknowledges that several challenges remain, including children who have not received or completed their immunizations and the proliferation of vaccine-related misinformation.
"Immunization is the most effective protection against measles. Parents are expected to promptly complete their children's immunizations and not delay," Aji said.
Although the weekly trend has started to decline since January 2026, the government reports that cases of measles in Indonesia are still increasing compared to last year. Up to the tenth week of this year, there were 13,046 suspected cases, 10,301 confirmed cases, and eight deaths.
Aji Muhawarman stated that the spread of measles is still occurring in several areas. "There are 54 extraordinary events in 36 districts/cities spread across 13 provinces," he said in a written statement on Tuesday, March 18, 2026.
Some areas with the highest cases include South Tangerang City, Bima Regency, Tangerang Regency, West Jakarta City, and Palu City.
According to Aji, the Ministry of Health has conducted Outbreak Response Immunization (ORI) in 26 districts/cities experiencing extraordinary events. Additionally, the government conducted catch-up immunization campaigns in 76 districts and cities that had previously experienced surges in cases.
"These efforts are aimed at closing the immunization gap, with the main target being toddlers aged 9 to 59 months," he said.
Immunization services are provided through various facilities, such as community health centers, integrated health posts (posyandu), educational units, places of worship, as well as homecoming service posts and door-to-door visits. The government also strengthens surveillance, NAR-based recording, laboratory examinations, vaccine distribution, and health service readiness.
In the future, the Ministry of Health will accelerate routine immunization and catch-up immunization to ensure that no child is missed. In addition, surveillance strengthening is carried out to support early detection and rapid response to cases.
The government also enhances public communication to strengthen public trust in immunization, involving local governments, community leaders, and various partners.
Ghaeiza Kay Rasuffi contributed to this article
Read: How Soekarno-Hatta Airport Prepares for 2026 Eid Travel Season
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