Disclaimer: This article is an editorial that highlights the problems in Indonesia today
PIKIRAN RAKYAT - The Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) issued a clarification regarding the case of a baby boy, MKA, in Sukabumi, West Java, who reportedly passed away after a receiving vaccination. The Post-Immunization Adverse Event (KIPI) was experienced by the 3-month-old baby a few hours after receiving four types of vaccines.
The vaccines given to MKA were Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) for tuberculosis (TB), Diphtheria-Pertussis-Tetanus-Hepatitis B-Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (DPT-HB-Hib), oral Polio, and Rotavirus for diarrhea prevention.
West Java Regional KIPI Committee and the Sukabumi City KIPI Working Group, along with the Sukabumi City Health Office conducted an investigation, revealing that the baby was born with the help of a midwife and had received vitamin K and a hepatitis B vaccines. However, the nearly 3-month-old baby had not been taken to the community health center since birth. The parents brought the baby to the integrated health service post at 2 months and 28 days old for immunization.
The healthcare workers administered four vaccines (BCG, DPT-HB-Hib, Polio, Rotavirus) to update the baby’s immunisation status. On that day, 18 children received immunizations at the community health center, with three other children receiving the same four vaccines as the baby, MKA, and all of them are currently healthy.
After the immunization, MKA appeared normal, but soon showed signs of weakness. Concerned about the baby's condition, the parents contacted the community health center. Healthcare workers quickly came to the house and transported MKA to the hospital for further treatment.
"First aid was given because the immunization staff immediately came to the deceased's home and took him to the hospital for further treatment," said Kusnadi Rusmil, the Chairman of the Regional KIPI Committee, on Sunday, June 30, 2024.
Unfortunately, the baby could not be saved and was declared to have lost it's life upon arrival at the hospital, on June 11, 2024. The family requested further investigation into their baby's death.
An Autopsy Must Be Conducted
The National Committee on Post-Immunisation Adverse Events (Komnas KIPI) recommended an autopsy to determine if the baby's death was related to the multiple immunisations received.