Jakarta, March 5 -- Indonesia's Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has called for urgent measles immunization as outbreaks spread across multiple regions, warning the disease poses fatal risks to children and could worsen during the upcoming Eid holiday.

"We observed that many cases emerged at the beginning of this year, so we must suppress them quickly. Otherwise, the disease can spread everywhere, especially with the Eid holiday approaching," Sadikin said Thursday after attending the signing of a joint ministerial decree on children's mental health.

He stressed that immunization remains the most effective safeguard, noting the measles vaccine has been used for decades worldwide to curb transmission.

Parents must take responsibility ...