Health workers in Sumenep, Indonesia, are delivering measles vaccines to curb an outbreak on Madura Island, which has persisted for nine months. Over 2,600 children have been infected this year, and 20 have died.
Efforts face challenges due to concerns about the vaccine’s halal status, because some vaccines contain a pig-derived stabilizer. Some Islamic scholars say it’s permissible under certain conditions, but hesitancy remains.
Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, has reported previous outbreaks of measles, mostly driven by gaps in vaccination coverage.
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