Director of immunization at the Health Ministry, Prima Yosephine, made the remarks here on Tuesday in response to questions about some parents raising concerns over the vaccines' safety.
The parents are of the view that the quality of free vaccines would not be as good as that of paid vaccines provided at clinics.
"What we give to the public is just like what is given in fellow doctors' (clinics)," Yosephine said.
She explained that all vaccines in the national program, including the HPV vaccine, have been licensed by the National Food and Drugs Authority (BPOM), hence they are safe to be distributed and used.
Moreover, the National Committee for Adverse Effects Following Immunization (Komnas KIPI) is also involved in the program, she added. Thus, should there be any issues after immunization, people can report it to the committee, and the experts will investigate further.
Yosephine said that the vaccines are free because the state is paying for them using money from taxes paid by the public, thus, the program is a form of benefit derived from taxes. Hence, parents must not give the vaccines a miss, she added. She said that parents could end up feeling guilty if their child contracts the disease because they missed out on the vaccination.
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"Sometimes, when our children are sick, we want for (the sickness) to be transferred to us so we are bearing it (for the children's sake). But it can't be like that," she added.
Hence, she urged parents to never hesitate when it comes to children's safety and health. She stressed the World Health Organization's statement that cervical cancer can be eliminated because the vaccine to counter the virus causing it is now available. Ever since the program was made nationwide in 2023, she said, 2.9 million kids have received the vaccine.