Suara.com – The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) announced the discovery of 3 cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) due to the Type 2 Polio virus in Indonesia on January 4 2024. This condition occurred due to incomplete polio immunization and malnutrition.
Director General of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) Ministry of Health, dr. Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, explained that the 3 cases of acute paralysis were experienced in two different provinces, namely 2 cases in East Java and 1 case in Central Java.
“In December 2023, two cases of acute paralysis caused by the polio virus were discovered with different case chronologies. “One case of polio immunization was incomplete, another had complete immunization status but was malnourished,” said Dr. Maxi through a release received by Suara.com, Friday (5/1/2024).
The first case of acute paralysis was experienced by a 6 year old girl, domiciled in Central Java, and with the initials NH. Based on the parents’ confession, NH experienced acute paralysis on November 20 2023 with a history of polio immunization drops (OPV) only twice.
The second case of acute paralysis was experienced by a boy aged 1 year 11 months, domiciled in East Java, and with the initials MAF. MAF became paralyzed on November 22 2023 with a complete immunization history but examination results showed that he was malnourished.
Then, the third case of acute paralysis was experienced by a boy aged 3 years and 1 month, domiciled in East Java, and with the initials MAM. MAM became paralyzed on December 6 2023 with a history of 4 drops of polio immunization and 1 injection of polio (IPV) based on his parents’ confession.
What is acute paralysis?
According to the writings of Dwi Rahmawati, Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia (FKM UI) 2008, it was stated that acute paralysis is paralysis without other causes in children less than 15 years old.
This age group is vulnerable to polio, which is strongly suspected to be a case of poliomyelitis, aka polio virus disease, by doctors. In the screening process, AFP is recognized through 5 symptoms, namely flaccid, acute, fever, paralysis, and impaired sense of touch.
This condition is also a syndrome characterized by rapidly developing muscle weakness, manifesting as muscle weakness, and decreased or even lost reflexes.
It is called acute because the paralytic condition occurs suddenly or progressively, between 1 and 14 days from the onset of initial symptoms such as pain, tingling or a feeling of thickness and numbness until maximum paralysis occurs.
How to prevent transmission of the polio virus
Dr. Maxi explained that polio is a disease that can be prevented by immunization. Polio virus can be transmitted through water contaminated with feces containing Polio virus.
“Several risk factors for transmission of the Polio virus are low coverage of polio immunization, environmental hygiene conditions and poor hygiene behavior such as open defecation either in rivers or in water sources that are also used in daily life,” said Dr. Maxi.
Furthermore, Dr. Maxi explained that if the Polio virus enters the body of a child who has not received polio immunization or whose polio immunization is incomplete, the virus will very easily reproduce in the digestive tract and attack the child’s nervous system, causing paralysis.
To overcome and stop the transmission of the polio virus, the Ministry of Health urges the public to play an active role by taking the following 4 preventive steps:
1. Communities must ensure that their children receive complete routine polio immunization according to age, namely 4 polio drops and 2 polio injections, before the age of 1 year.
2. Ensure that all children aged 0 to 7 years in all areas of Central Java and East Java provinces as well as Sleman Regency, DIY Province receive 2 additional doses of polio immunization drops during the Sub National Immunization Week (Sub PIN) activities which will be implemented starting January 15 2024.
3. Implement clean and healthy living habits, including defecating in a latrine with a septic tank and washing your hands with soap before eating and after defecating.
4. The public is advised to immediately report to the nearest health officer or community health center if they find a child under 15 years of age with symptoms of sudden paralysis.