Jakarta, IO – The Health Ministry (Kemenkes) has reaffirmed that the national immunization program will continue as scheduled under established protocols. The statement follows a causality investigation and review conducted on Aug 27 regarding a reported serious adverse event following immunization (AEFI) involving a three-month-old female infant in Kampar regency, Riau.
The review classified the incident as “inconsistent – reaction caused by an underlying condition unrelated to the vaccine.” Under this classification, the available data and evidence were insufficient to link the infant’s illness to the administration of the vaccines. Chairman of the National Committee for AEFI (Komnas KIPI), Prof. Dr. dr. Hindra Irawan Satari, explained that medical examinations revealed the infant’s condition was tied to pre-existing health factors.
“Based on the causality assessment, the incident involving the infant was determined to be inconsistent, meaning it was related to health conditions outside of vaccination. Medical results showed a lung infection and a bacterial infection, with a diagnosis of pneumonia accompanied by sepsis. Available evidence shows no link between the vaccination and the incident,” he stated on Tuesday (6/10/2026).
The infant received DPT-Hb-Hib 2, PCV 1, OPV 3, and Rotavirus 2 vaccines on Aug 20 at Posyandu (integrated health post) Melati in Bangkinang Kota. Approximately seven hours post-immunization, the infant developed a fever, followed by shortness of breath and recurrent seizures, requiring immediate care at RSUD (regional general hospital) Bangkinang.
Hospital evaluation diagnosed pneumonia and sepsis, and the infant was placed in intensive care. The patient’s condition deteriorated, and she was pronounced dead on Aug 22.
Following the report, Riau Health Department, Riau AEFI Committee, and Kampar Health Department conducted an investigation. Actions included family visits, data gathering, patient condition tracking, and audits of cold-chain management and immunization delivery protocols.
Immunization Protects Against Disease Kemenkes
Immunization Director dr. Indri Yogyaswari emphasized that immunization remains an essential public health measure to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases (PD3I). “Immunization is a proven and effective public health effort to protect children from preventable diseases. Therefore, immunization schedules must continue as planned, including through the Bulan Imunisasi Kejar [Catch-Up Immunization Month] running from Oct 1 to Oct 31 to ensure unprotected children are brought up to date,” dr. Indri said.
Kemenkes noted that vaccine safety and quality remain paramount across all national immunization activities. All vaccines utilized in national programs undergo evaluation and regulatory oversight by the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM). Safety monitoring continues through the national AEFI surveillance system, with every reported serious adverse event investigated through standard procedures.
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“We understand parents’ concerns when health issues arise following immunization. However, health events occurring after vaccination are not necessarily caused by the vaccine itself. Every incident must be evaluated based on clinical data and scientific evidence,” she added.
Riau Health Department is implementing corrective measures to uphold immunization safety and standards across all regencies and cities. These efforts include ongoing guidance, supervision, and monitoring for healthcare providers and facilities.
Vaccinators are instructed to strictly follow standard operating procedures (SOPs), covering pre-vaccination screening, vaccine administration, cold-chain storage and handling, post-immunization observation, AEFI management, and emergency referral workflows. Kemenkes and local governments encourage parents to keep up with routine childhood immunizations, assuring the public that transparent, data-driven information regarding vaccine safety and benefits will continue to be shared. (est)
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