Parents wait for their children to be revaccinated at a hospital in Bekasi on Monday (18/07). (Antara Photo/Risky Andrianto) |
Jakarta.
Parents who suspect that their children have been given fake vaccines are
demanding that the government issue an official explanation about their health
effects, instead of sticking to unofficial claims that the counterfeit vaccines
pose no health risks at all.
Tests
conducted by the Food and Drug Monitoring Ageny (BPOM) show some of the fake
vaccines contained regular vaccine mixed with insulin.
If only a
small amount is injected, the counterfeit vaccines will not have any side
effect, the Health Ministry has said.
"We
need official statements from the government," said Imam Subali, the
parents' representative, in a meeting with the House of Representatives in
Jakarta on Tuesday (20/07).
"This
would help ensure that hospitals administering the fake vaccines can be held
responsible if the patients suffer ill-effects later," Imam told the
lawmakers.
The
chairman of the House's Commission IX — which oversees health and manpower
affairs, Dede Yusuf said, "The fake vaccines are not necessarily dangerous
but the production did not follow hygienic standards."
Tuesday's
meeting came five days after the Health Ministry revealed the names of 14
hospitals, most of which are located in Bekasi, West Java, that have allegedly
administered counterfeit vaccines.
Shortly
after the revelation, enraged parents besieged some of the hospitals, demanding
they provide data on patients that have been been given fake vaccines, conduct
medical check-ups and perform revaccination if necessary.
The fake
vaccine revelation prompted the House to agree last week on establishing a
special mechanism to supervise the distribution of vaccines and other medicines
in Indonesia.
Late last
month, a joint task force made up of officials from the Health Ministry, the
National Police and the BPOM was formed to crack down on the fake vaccine
distribution ring.
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