Schools In Yogyakarta Refuse To Receive Measles Immunization Program

Vaccine Illustration (Photo: Shutterstock)

Some think that it's haram. Some think that human body can regenerate its own cells should they get contracted with the virus.

Yogyakarta Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs discovered eight schools in Yogyakarta refusing to participate the Measles Rubella (MMR) immunization program.

"The ones refusing (the program) were actually the schools, not the students. The students had no problem [with the immunization], it's the school who were being protective," said the head of Yogyakarta's ministerial office Lutfi Hamid on Thursday.

Lutfi revealed that the schools that opted against vaccination were entirely privately run school, including Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI) and Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTS) in Sleman, Bantul and Yogyakarta.

"When we came with Health Department, they [the school] refused because they're afraid of haram substance within the vaccine compound. We asserted and guaranteed that the vaccine is not haram, this is for health," said Lutfi.

Some schools argued that humans are born with their own immune system, insisting that the regeneration would still occur even without the vaccine. While others refused to participate because they were in a partnership with some pharmaceutical companies.

Lutfi said there was no official or any written statement for the program refusal. According to him, the eight schools have been known to always turn down the MMR vaccine socialization.

"[We'll find out] whether they always refuse [the socialization], we don't know, and we'll ask further to the Health Department," said Lutfi.

He then confirmed that they would immediately approach and warn those schools as he implied that the evolving virus could only be prevented by vaccination.

Yogyakartas Health Agency claimed that they willcome and visit those schools today to seek why they refusedthe program.

Today well go there with the local Religious Affairs Ministry official, said Yogyakarta Health Agency Head Pembajun Setyaningastuti on Friday to Detik.

Well conduct some dialogues to see why they refused the program.

Meanwhile, Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X had instructed no delay to the program as the immunization is carried out to prevent the measlesoutbreak where 176 cases emerged in the province in 2016 only. "Related to those who refuse, we urge [the Health Department] to perform an intense approach and communication. It's only a matter of communication,"he said.

(brl/red)