Measles outbreak indonesia: A serious epidemic of measles has spread on the Madura Island in Indonesia. In the last nine months, more than 2,600 children were infected here and 20 innocent people have died. To prevent the disease, the Health Department has started the initiative of vaccination from door to door. The health workers who have taken a medical box on a motorcycle are going from village to village to vaccinate measles. But the biggest challenge in this war is not coming with medical and social and religious hesitation. The doubt is deepened among the Muslim -majority population that the gelatin used in the vaccine was not made from the boar.
Health vs. religious recognition
According to health experts, measles vaccine is the most effective way to save children’s lives. Infection can spread rapidly without vaccination and a large number of children can die. But on the other hand, many parents consider it to be religiously forbidden and refuse to get children vaccinated. Gelatin is used to keep vaccines safe and longer effective. This gelatin is mostly obtained from pigs, while in Islam, pork is considered haraam. This is the reason that in 2018, the religious leaders of Indonesia called such vaccines for haraam. However, he also said that unless any option is available, they can be used in the interest of society.
Health workers’ challenge
The Health Department has started a major campaign from August. Around 78,000 vaccines have been arranged and they are being transported from house to house, schools and clinics. Nevertheless, people hesitate to interact with religious reasons. Sunep’s nurse and mother Pujiati Vahuni says that she has got her daughter vaccinated, but many parents are still hesitant. She says, “Islam is a great religion. Some people are not ready for vaccination from the beginning, whether religious reasons or traditional thinking.”
What do health experts say?
Experts believe that the only way to prevent infectious disease like measles is collective vaccination. If a large number of people do not get vaccinated, the infection spreads rather than stopping. This not only puts the lives of children at risk but also becomes a threat to the health of the whole society.
Ahead
Keeping in mind religious and social beliefs, now Indonesia’s religious leader and health officer is demanding Halal vaccine. If the government and pharmaceutical companies together prepare the option, then the trust of the people will increase and hesitant will be less.
Also read- Cheapest HIV Medicine: India will make HIV’s cheapest medicine, now instead of 35 lakhs, now it will be treated for only Rs.
Check out Below Health Tools-
Calculate your body mass index (BMI)
Calculate the age through age calculator

