Measles outbreaks have been reported in various regions of Indonesia. According to the Ministry of Health, 46 extraordinary events have been recorded across 42 areas in the country.
Epidemiologist from Universitas Gadjah Mada, Dr. Riris Andono Ahmad, explained that the spread of measles is closely linked to herd immunity levels. Vaccination coverage, therefore, plays a critical role in determining a population’s resilience.
“If immunization levels are adequate, the population will not be easily infected. But once coverage falls below that threshold, herd immunity is not strong enough to prevent transmission,” the epidemiologist stated on Monday (Sep. 1).
Dr. Ahmad further noted that high population mobility increases vulnerability to disease transmission across regions.
“Even in areas where measles was previously absent, once an infected person arrives and vaccination coverage is insufficient, outbreaks are likely to occur,” he said.
He emphasized that low immunization coverage, combined with high mobility, significantly increases the risk of transmission.
Children, particularly infants and young children, face the greatest risk. Referring to health indicators, Dr. Ahmad underscored that child mortality carries a higher social and economic cost compared to adult mortality.
“The younger the individual, the greater their potential productivity. When a child dies, society loses significant future productivity,” said the lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK UGM).
One immediate response to such outbreaks, he added, is the implementation of Outbreak Response Immunization (ORI), or rapid mass immunization, to contain extraordinary events. In addition, hospitals must be prepared to manage cases effectively to prevent fatalities caused by measles transmission.
As Head of the Center for Tropical Medicine (PKT UGM), Dr. Ahmad stressed that tackling measles requires joint efforts from both the community and the government by expanding vaccine coverage.
“It remains a major challenge since many people are still hesitant about vaccines for various reasons. On the government’s side, better strategies are needed to increase public acceptance of vaccination,” he concluded.
Author: Jelita Agustine
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya Arifadi
Illustration: Freepik