REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Minister of Health Nila Moeloek ensured the elimination of diphtheria disease one month before the commencement of the 2018 Asian Games.

"I believe it is clear that we will have it eliminated," the minister stated here on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Health is committed to eliminating diphtheria and other infectious diseases in both Jakarta and Palembang prior to the commencement of the Asian Games, in a bid to prevent the spread of diseases to citizens of other countries, she continued.

The minister emphasized that her office has carried out repeated diphtheria immunizations or "Outbreak Response Immunization" (ORI) in every area in which the citizens were affected by the disease.

Additionally, re-immunization was also re-enforced in schools, which were recorded to have become 75 percent of diphtheria ORI targets.

"The ORI procedures were actually done in every area in which diphtheria cases were found. Even if there was one case, the area will immediately be provided with immunization. The procedure has also been carried out in every district," she explained.

Cases of diphtheria in the DKI Jakarta, Banten, and West Java areas have also decreased drastically, she revealed.

The data from the Ministry of Health recorded a total of 11 cases of diphtheria during January 2018, spread in four provinces and without any cases of death.

The number of new diphtheria cases decreased from 20 cases per day in November 2018 to below five cases in January 2018.

Extraordinary events regarding the disease throughout 2017 were recorded to be as many as 948 cases, all of which occurred in 170 districts and cities in 30 provinces, with a total of 44 deaths.

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