How a school principal in Merauke helps parents say yes to vaccines

On a busy day at SD YPPK St. Agustinus Bambu Pemali in Merauke, the school principal informs the  teachers about an upcoming immunization visit from the community health centre. Within minutes, it is shared with parents in online chat groups. By the end of the day, families already know when their children will be vaccinated and what immunization will protect them.

This is how things work in the school led by Sister Monica Simarmata, a principal who has helped turn routine school communication into a lifeline for children’s health.

Originally from Medan in North Sumatra, Sister Monica has spent more than 30 years in education as part of her service with the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Saint Lucia. She was assigned to Merauke in 2018. Arriving in a new environment brought many adjustments, including limited resources and some hesitation among parents towards vaccines.

Rather than treating education and health as separate issues, she sees them as closely connected. “Supporting health programmes like immunization is very important. Not supporting them would feel unnatural for me as an educator,” she says.

Her approach is simple but effective. When the community health centre plans a visit for immunization, she shares the schedule with teachers, who pass it on through parents’ chat groups. Parents quickly understand when services are available and what their children need.

For parents who remain hesitant, she believes trust begins with a conversation. She encourages them to visit the school, meet the health workers and raise any concern directly. Local Papuan teachers also help bridge the gap, using shared language, culture and lived experience to explain why immunization matters.

“I tell parents that if they are worried about immunizations, they should come to the school on vaccination day and speak directly to Puskesmas staff. Teachers who are indigenous Papuans also help reassure parents from the same communities and encourage them to have their children vaccinated,” she said.

Sister Monica with students in SD YPPK St. Agustinus Bambu Pemali. © WHO / Fieni Aprilia

The impact can be seen in everyday school life. Parents are more responsive to health information, teachers feel more confident discussing health issues with families and children are less likely to miss school because of preventable illness.

Sister Monica's experience reflects wider progress across South Papua, where efforts are underway to reach children who have never received routine immunization. In 2024, 419 such children were recorded. By 2025, more than 500 previously unreached children had been given their first dose of pentavalent vaccine. This vaccine protects them against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, as well as pneumonia and meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenza type b infection. 

Merauke has been leading this progress, reaching high coverage across routine immunization. This reflects strong cooperation between health workers, schools and families.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has been working closely with stakeholders in South Papua, including school leaders in Merauke, to strengthen these efforts. Support has focused on improving coordination, extending the reach to include religious-based organizations. WHO also assisted the health officials in building capacity and helping local teams use data to reach more children.

While this progress is encouraging, continued support remains essential to ensure children in remote areas of the province can also be reached with life-saving immunization services.

In Sister Monica’s school, the work begins with a conversation, a question from a parent or a message shared in a chat group. Those small moments help build trust between families, educators and health workers. In a community where trust can determine whether a child receives protection from preventable diseases, they can make all the difference.

This activity is supported by GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance.