By NewsDesk  @bactiman63

The Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kementerian Kesehatan) reported a case of type 2 polio (circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDP2) found in a child from Pidie District, Aceh province.

In accordance with the administrative level set by WHO, the local government has designated this event as an Extraordinary Event (KLB).

The government will provide additional polio immunization for children aged 0-13 years, simultaneously on 28 November & 5 December 2022 in all areas in Aceh.

The Pidie Regency in Aceh released the following press release Saturday (computer translated):

A case of Polio (withered paralysis) in a child was found in Pidie on November 10, 2022. This finding was confirmed by the results of laboratory tests by Prof. Sri Oemijati, Ministry of Health, Jakarta, which is a national reference laboratory.

The discovery of this case began with a 7-year-old child, a resident of Mane District. At first the child has a fever, then pain appears in the joints and weakness of the limbs.

After physical and laboratory examinations, it was stated that the patient had been infected with the Polio virus.

This was confirmed by the Acting Regent of Pidie, Ir Wahyudi Adisiswanto M.Si, together with the Head of the Pidie Health Service, Dr. Arika Aboebakar, Sp.OG, at the local Regent’s Hall, Friday (18/11/2022).

In this case, the Acting Regent stated that Pidie experienced an Extraordinary Event (KLB) status.

Image/CDC

“With the discovery of a Polio case in Pidie, we declare this as an Extraordinary Event, because as we know, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries have been declared Polio-free,” said the Acting Regent of Pidie.

Meanwhile the Head of the Pidie Health Service stated that his party together with a team from the Aceh Health Service, the Ministry of Health, WHO and UNICEF had carried out an initial response in the form of an Epidemiological Investigation (PE).

Including searching for additional cases in affected areas both in the community and through visits to local health centers and hospitals.

Next, carry out a review of immunization coverage and a social assessment to find out how people in the affected areas receive immunization.

“Apart from that, the coordination and activation of the Rapid Action Team (TGC) will also be carried out immediately,” explained Dr. Arika.

Arika added that the Polio virus is transmitted through water contaminated with faeces containing the Polio virus. If this virus enters the body of a child who has not received complete polio immunization, the virus will multiply in the digestive tract and attack the child’s nervous system.

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He said again, causing paralysis. This can happen if immunization coverage is low for a long time, coupled with unfavorable environmental sanitation conditions, such as open defecation (BABS).

Furthermore, for the current treatment of patients, a repeat visit has been made by the Pediatrician and it is recommended that medical rehabilitation be carried out.

The Health Office through the Mane Health Center facilitated referrals to T Chik Ditiro Sigli Hospital.

To deal with outbreaks, according to the instructions from the Expert Committee Team, a sub-PIN immunization response will be carried out immediately by providing polio drip immunization for all children aged 0 – <13 years.

The Pidie district government also immediately increases public education about the importance of routine immunization and clean and healthy living habits, especially the behavior of defecating in latrines and involves all parties.

“This education will involve all parties, starting from regional leaders and SKPK heads, religious leaders, community leaders, youth groups, PKK, professional organizations, mass organizations, educational institutions, health cadres, academics, mass media, and other elements of society, to support prevention of transmission of the Polio Virus,” concluded Dr. Arika.

Please note, Polio is a highly contagious disease and can cause permanent paralysis, even death, especially in children aged <5 years who are not completely immunized against polio.

The polio virus enters the body through the mouth, originating from water or food that has been contaminated with feces/feces of an infected person.

Early symptoms of polio include fever, fatigue, headaches. vomiting, stiffness in the neck, pain in the legs.

This is the first polio case reported in Indonesia since 2019.

The WHO South-East Asia Region was certified polio-free on on 27 March 2014 by an independent commission under the WHO certification process. The South-East Asia Region includes eleven countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, North Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

 

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