The Importance of MR (Measles Rubella) Immunization for Children

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Medical Video: Infectious Diseases A-Z: Decline in measles vaccine would triple cases

Lately, the government is promoting MR immunization (rubella measles) in children. Actually, what is the MR vaccine? And why are all children required to get it?

What is measles and rubella?

Aka measlesmeasles is a disease caused by a virus and can be transmitted through coughing and sneezing. This disease is very contagious and attacks many children.

Measles symptoms include high fever (the temperature can reach up to 40⁰ C), reddish spots on the skin, conjunctivitis, coughing, and runny nose. In addition, children who suffer from measles become limp and their appetite decreases.

Rubella or often called German measles, is an infectious disease that is also caused by a virus. Transmission occurs through the air. In children, the symptoms of this disease are usually only a mild fever (with a temperature of 37.2 C) or even without symptoms so often undetectable.

Some other symptoms that can be found due to rubella infection include sore throat, reddish spots on the skin, headaches, eye pain, conjunctivitis, and enlarged lymph glands behind the ears, back neck, and sub occipital. In addition, children can also experience nausea, muscle aches and decreased appetite.

Measles and rubella are not only dangerous for children, but also for pregnant women

As mentioned above, these two diseases are diseases that are easily transmitted and affect many children. The thing that is feared by the two diseases is its complications.

Measles can cause serious complications such as pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), blindness, malnutrition that can lead to death. While the complications that can be caused by rubella infection are abnormalities in the heart and eyes, deafness, and developmental delay.

In pregnant women, rubella infection can cause miscarriage, fetal death, and congenital rubella syndrome in babies born.

Measles and rubella cannot be treated, but can be prevented!

Based on data taken from the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Indonesia is one of the countries with the most cases of measles in the world. However, since 2000, more than 1 billion children in high-risk countries have been immunized, so that in 2012 deaths from measles decreased by 78%. This shows that immunization can be done with the aim of preventing measles and avoiding complications.

In addition to measles, rubella is also one of the health problems of the Indonesian people that requires effective prevention. Data from the Indonesian Ministry of Health's supervision over the past 5 years shows that 70% of cases of rubella occur in the age group under 15 years.

Seeing the high incidence of measles and rubella, the Indonesian government seeks to prevent immunization measles-rubella (MR) aka measles rubella. MR immunization can be given to all children aged 9 months up to the age of less than 15 years.

Rubella measles immunization is done by injection with a dose of 0.5 ml. The government provides free MR immunization services in August-September 2017 and 2018. You can get MR immunization in schools, Puskesmas, Posyandu and other health facilities.

Come on, immediately bring your child to be immunized MR!

The Importance of MR (Measles Rubella) Immunization for Children
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