The government is preparing a road map to handle essential diseases apart from COVID-19, Acting Director General of Disease Prevention and Handling at the Ministry of Health Maxi Rein Rondonuwu stated.
“This is important. We concentrate so much on COVID-19 despite the fact that there are many diseases that could potentially have an extraordinary impact,” he noted during a webinar observed from here on Friday.
According to Rondonuwu, the preparations to handle essential diseases, such as diphtheria and measles, which are starting to spread in several regions in Indonesia have to be made promptly.
This is especially since the government is focused on handling COVID-19 to the extent that vaccination for other essential diseases is neglected.
“Workers, who should have conducted immunization for other essential diseases within the last two years, have low coverage,” he pointed out.
“If we wait around until the third year, we are only waiting for bad things to happen,” he expounded.
To this end, the government will continue to strengthen the health system, including by implementing health protocols amid the continuing spread of COVID-19.
Implementing health protocols is still the best solution to prevent the spread of the new COVID-19 variant, Rondonuwu stated.
The government will continue to ensure that beds at hospitals and oxygen tanks are available as a precautionary measure against the third wave due to the spread of the new COVID-19 variant, he stated.
“Therapy through centralize self-isolation will continue to be strengthened,” he affirmed.
Clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines and medicines will also be continued. COVID-19 vaccines will not just be available, but they will also be ensured to be well-distributed.
“We have prepared what vaccines will be used to meet the requirement of 420 million doses of vaccines for 208 people targeted to receive vaccines until January,” he informed.
“We have also planned how to administer the booster at the start of the next year,” he added.
Source: Antara News