Polio Risk Remains in Indonesia Despite โขEradication Success,โ Health Minister Warns
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Jakarta, โคIndonesia – Indonesia hasโ successfully halted the spread โฃof polio, a feat achieved throughโค widespread immunization efforts and community dedication, butโข Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin cautioned against complacency, citing ongoing risks due to immunization gaps in several provinces. “We have succeeded in stopping the spread โof polio in Indonesia thanks to the dedication of health workers, the commitment of parents โand all members ofโค society so that children are immunized, and the support of partners.Every child has theโ right to receive protection. We must continue to work together โso that polio does not return by ensuring that all children receive complete age-appropriate polio โimmunization,” Sadikin โขstated recently in Jakarta.
Polio, a highly contagious and possibly deadlyโ viral disease,โค can cause irreversible paralysis, โprimarily affecting children under โคfive. while eradicated in most of โคthe โworld, the โขvirus persists in โฃsome โฃregions, posing a continued threat โคthrough โขimportation and โoutbreaks, โขparticularly in areas โฃwith โคlow immunization coverage. The resurgence of polio cases globallyโฃ underscores the critical importance of maintaining high vaccination ratesโ and vigilant surveillance.Withoutโข a โคcure, prevention through immunization remains the only effective defense against this debilitating disease.
Recognizing the symptoms
Polio symptoms vary significantly, ranging from no โnoticeable effectsโ to severe complications.Many individuals infected with theโฃ virus experience no illness at all.When symptoms do appear, โคthey can โขinitially resemble the flu, but may worsen โover time.
symptoms, โขprogressing fromโ mild to severe, include:
* Flu-like symptoms: Fever, fatigue, sore throat, headache
* Digestive problems: Nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach ache
* Signs of swelling of the brain and spinal cord: Severe headache, sensitivity to light or touch, stiff neck
* Effects โคon the nervous โsystem: Pain or pins โand needles in the arms and legs (paresthesia), muscle spasms,โข weakness, or paralysis that can affectโ movement, breathing,โค swallowing, or speaking.
How Polio Spreads
Polio โฃis transmitted through several routes, emphasizing the importance of hygiene and sanitation:
* Not washing hands after using the โbathroom or contactโ with feces.
* Consuming or swallowing contaminated water.
* swimming in โคcontaminated water, including โฃswimming pools.
* โข Eating food that has come into contact with contaminated water.
* Touching surfaces contaminated with the virus.
*โค โ Closeโค contact with individuals infected with โpolio, even โคthose whoโข are asymptomatic.
Prevention is Key
The most effective way to protect against polio is vaccination,typically administered during childhood.Anyone can contract polio,but children who are not fully vaccinated โare at the highest risk. Teenagers and adults who have not beenโค vaccinated or previously infected are also โฃsusceptible. Individuals traveling to or residing in areas where polio remains prevalent face โฃan increased risk of infection.
(dce)
