Ministry of Health with All Its Might to Eliminate the Impact of Rubella Measles

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health will take full responsibility in eliminating the impact of rubella measles, the Indonesian people will lose quality human resources considering the loss of life and economy of the community.

"In terms of our health, we are responsible for health, we carry out the obligation to prevent death from diseases," said Minister of Health (Menkes) Nila Moeloek.

This was stated in the Media Discussion of the Forum Merdeka Barat (FMB) 9 with the theme "The Long Way of MR Vaccine MUI Fatwa", held in the Multifunction Hall of the Ministry of Communication and Information, Jakarta, Tuesday (09/18/2018).

Minister of Health explained, in terms of health, measles rubella (MR) is a serious and deadly disease. That is the skin of a child experiencing red patches. Conditions get worse when children's nutrition is bad because the virus will spread to the brain, lungs and diarrhea.

According to Minister Nila, the condition of children with MR virus is very dangerous because it will cause dehydration, heart and eye disease.

Nila Moeloek reminded that Rubella measles symptoms triggered by a fever seem to be normal.

"If the woman is in less-than-six-months-pregnancy and is infected by a child affected by rubella, the pregnant woman and her baby will also be infected. Then the born child can become deaf, inflammation of the brain and heart," said Minister of Health.

Responding to the MR vaccine immunization program throughout Indonesia which has been carried out since 2017 and entered the second phase this year, Minister of Health said that in fact many countries have used MR immunization to treat this disease.

However, the Minister of Health added that Indonesia still has duty related to MR elimination because other countries are also wary of when Indonesia is hit by this MR outbreak.

"It is expected that with this elimination program Rubella measles cases will decrease by 2020," explained Nila Moeloek.

One thing, the Minister of Health added that besides the impact of Rubella's measles, besides disability, even death is an economic impact on the family affected by this disease.

"If we just inject it with the price of the vaccine is IDR 29 thousand and this is the government's program so that it will finance the government," said Minister Nila Moeloek.

Not only that, the illustration of the Ministry of Health describes, the operation for uncomplicated measles patients is at least IDR 6,680,000. The surgery for children affected by Rubella measles with complications is at least IDR 12,890,700.

"This is our duty, no matter how, we will prevent and create quality resources," said the Minister of Health answering the MR elimination program.

A mother from Lhokseumawe, Aceh, who has an 8-year-old child gave testimony until she had to sell her property to pay for the treatment of her baby.

This mother's child has been exposed to measles since the child was in the womb so that the condition is currently abnormal in eyes, body and hearing.

Plt. Deputy for Drug and NAPPZA of National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) Reri Indriani, President Director of PT Bio Farma M Rahman Roestan, and General Chairperson of the Indonesian Religious Leader (MUI) KH Ma'ruf Amin also attended as resource person in FMB 9 this time.

You can also follow FMB 9 activities directly at: www.fmb9.id, FMB9ID (Twitter), FMB9.ID (Instagram), FMB9.ID (Facebook), and FMB9ID (Youtube).