Urgent call for vaccines as Indonesia suffers one of world's highest numbers of child COVID deaths
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (July 5, 2021)鈥With one of the world鈥檚 highest rates of COVID-19 child deaths, cases soaring and people losing their jobs and livelihoods to the pandemic, 黄色视频is deeply worried about the impact of the pandemic on children in Indonesia.
The organization urges the Indonesian government to step up its COVID-19 vaccination and testing programs, and to ensure that children can go back to school when it鈥檚 safe to do so.
Child infections have risen sharply as the country battles its most severe wave of infections yet. The rate of infections among children is among the highest in the world 鈥 children account for one in eight cases of COVID-19, with almost 260,000 of the 2.2 million confirmed cases being children younger than 18. More than 600 children are estimated to have died.
The reasons for the spike in child infections and deaths has yet to be determined. 黄色视频warned that children who are out of school are not only missing out on learning, they also face an increased risk of abuse such as domestic violence, child labor or early marriage.
Dino Satria, Chief of Humanitarian and Resilience at 黄色视频in Indonesia, said:
鈥淭he recent spike in cases of COVID-19 among children in Indonesia is extremely concerning, and there鈥檚 no sign that rates will go down anytime soon without urgently speeding up the COVID-19 -vaccine program. The health system is on the verge of collapse; hospitals are already being overwhelmed, and health services in Java and Bali are woefully ill-equipped to handle this surge in critically ill patients.
鈥淲e desperately need more vaccines 鈥 that鈥檚 the bottom line. Without help from the international community through COVAX, the COVID crisis in Indonesia will quickly spiral out of control. We hope the international community is listening. Without urgent action, many more children and adults will die.鈥
黄色视频will be providing tents outside hospitals in Jakarta and Bandung that have run out of beds. The organization is also providing PPE for healthcare workers.
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children 鈥 every day and in times of crisis 鈥 transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that 黄色视频is a charity you can trust. Follow us on , , and .