Indonesian hospitals under fire over fake vaccines

Scandal came to light when many children fell ill after receiving inoculations.

Parents stage a protest outside Harapan Bunda Hospital in East Jakarta after it emerged that the hospital and several others had been administering fake vaccines (Photo by Ryan Dagur)

Jakarta:  A number of parents have called on the Indonesian government as well as several hospitals to take the responsibility for administering fake vaccines, saying they might have dangerous side effects.

Many children have fallen sick after receiving them, authorities said.

"The government and hospitals must not close their eyes," said Alexander Anjas Nugroho, a father of a son who was vaccinated in the Catholic-run Elizabeth Hospital in West Java Province.

He said his son received 12 vaccinations including hepatitis B and polio in 2013 shortly after his birth. "I need to know if the fake vaccines have serious side effects," he said, adding that his son had a fever following the vaccinations.

He also urged the hospital to immediately offer a free medical check-up to other children who received fake vaccines. "The hospital's response so far isn't satisfactory," he said.

Leny Puspita, whose son was vaccinated three years ago in Harapan Bunda Hospital in East Jakarta, asserted that the issue wasn't about money."This is about our children's health," she said during a parent protest on July 20 outside the hospital.

"We want the hospital to be open about this," said Dian Eko Prasilowaty, whose three children were also vaccinated at Harapan Bunda Hospital. "What's in these fake vaccines?"

The Health Ministry cited both Elizabeth and Harapan Bunda Hospitals on July 14 for administering fake vaccines.

Azas Tigor Nainggolan, a spokesman for Elizabeth Hospital, admitted that the hospital administered fake vaccines to patients from Nov. 2 last year until June 25 this year.

"Our distributor had no more supplies, but the hospital had to continue its service," he explained. "On Nov. 2, a supplier called CV Azka Medika offered us [replacement] vaccines."

He said the hospital only found out they were fake on June 29. "[We] immediately withdrew the fake vaccines and replaced them … [The hospital] is ready to take further steps in accordance with the government's guidance."

President Joko Widodo called the scandal "an extraordinary crime" and urged all related parties to take the case seriously.

"We have already set up a team to investigate," Penny Kusumastuti Lukito, newly appointed head of the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency, told the Jakarta Post.

The government has begun a re-vaccination program for children affected by the scam.



Side effects

According to Hindra Irawan, secretary of Indonesia's Immunization Task Force, the side effects include muscle pain and reddish skin.

However, "the great loss is that [children] aren't immune and are prone to diseases," he told BBC Indonesia.

The exact number of children affected by these fake vaccines is not yet known, said Puri Kencana Putri from the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence, which is supporting the protesting parents.

At least 500 children received the fake vaccines, the commission said.

Agung Setya, director of Special Economic Crimes at the National Police, said the case came to light after many children fell sick after being vaccinated.

Setya said his bureau is investigating and that 15 suspects had been detained in connection with the distribution of fake vaccines so far.

Source: UCAN