Maretha Uli, Jakarta – The Health Ministry has been grappling with rising anti-vaccine narratives and misinformation surrounding vaccination, which have hindered efforts to boost uptake as childhood immunization coverage remains below national targets.
A renewed measles vaccination drive following a recent outbreak in several regions has fueled public debate over vaccine necessity and effectiveness, exposing resistance among some parents who refuse immunization for their children.
One of them is Fatimah Al Wardah, a mother of three from Bekasi, West Java, who has grown skeptical of vaccines after hearing reports linking them to illness and even death.
I chose to be anti-vaccine not merely out of FOMO [fear of missing out], but because it has become a principle I hold, she told The Jakarta Post on Friday. She believes that immunization is a matter of personal rights, with individuals free to accept or refuse it.
The 33-year-old massage therapist also questioned the halal status and effectiveness of vaccines. If it's only about preventing viruses, there are plenty of healthy foods that are enough to strengthen the immune system.
When her nine-month-old firstborn was diagnosed with measles, Fatimah refused prescribed medication and instead relied on herbal remedies such as coconut water, dates and sea cucumber jelly. Her child later recovered, has never been vaccinated and is now 11 years old and healthy, she said.
In contrast, Agnes Ika, a mother of two from Klaten, East Java, also views immunization as a right, but one that must be fulfilled. She ensures that her children, aged three years and two months, receive all mandatory vaccines.
Children have the right to get immunization so if they are exposed to diseases one day, the effects will not be as severe, the 27-year-old freelancer and homemaker said on Friday.
When a measles outbreak hit Klaten in early April, Agnes grew concerned about anti-vaccine parents, who, she believes, contributed to the resurgence of the disease.
Being anti-vaccine is fine, but there should be a separate space for them, because they undermine herd immunity built by vaccinated children, she said, urging government action to curb the spread of anti-vaccine narratives.
Infodemic amid low uptake
The growing debate has not gone unnoticed by the Health Ministry.
Infodemic, or massive information disruption, has led to widespread misinformation about immunization, Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono said during a World Immunization Week discussion on Thursday.
He stressed that complete childhood immunization is a highly effective investment to prevent disease and death, while ensuring that vaccines are available through community-level health facilities, including integrated health service posts (Posyandu).
In a meeting with House of Representatives Commission IX overseeing health on April 20, Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin also acknowledged growing misinformation, halal concerns and public distrust as key factors behind low immunization uptake.
He pledged to improve public communication efforts. One of the most effective ways is to engage young people and leverage social media, he told lawmakers. We will involve young doctors to help deliver information more effectively.
According to the ministry, more than 2.8 million of 17 million children aged one to three did not receive complete immunization between 2021 and 2023.
In 2026, full infant immunization coverage reached only 12 percent of the annual target in the first quarter, falling short of the 21 percent target. Coverage for children aged one to two years old stood at 11 percent, below the 18 percent target.
Meanwhile, school-age immunization reached 82 percent of its annual target last year.
Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI) immunization task force head Hartono Gunardi warned that anti-vaccine narratives should not be confronted harshly, as this could backfire.
If we explain that vaccine-preventable diseases can cause various complications and even death, people will reconsider, he said. The public also needs reassurance that vaccines are safe and that adverse events following immunization [AEFI] are reversible.
He stressed that children should not be denied vaccines, particularly for measles, warning of severe complications such as encephalitis, long-term cognitive impairment and pneumonia, a leading cause of child mortality.