KLB Status, No Budget to Exterminate a Dog – SUARANTB.com

Mataram (NTB Voice) – The Head of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health Service NTB, Muhamad Riadi, SP, MEc.Dev, said that although NTB, especially the island of Sumbawa, is in the Unusual Region (KLB) of rabies, in 2024 there is no budget to help eliminate rabies in carrier animals.

“We have asked the Ministry to get a rabies vaccine three times, but no response has been given. “We were asked to use the APBD to get this rabies vaccine. We have sent this to our regional/city friends because bites are increasing,” he explained when contacted by Suara NTB, Tuesday, August 6, 2024.

Riyadi said only Bima district had allocated APBD for rabies treatment. Other areas such as Dompu district, Bima city, Sumbawa and West Sumbawa have not yet responded to the Department’s request for a budget for the treatment of rabid animals.

“We hope that there will be budgetary support in this revised APBD. Because the budget of the ministry is very small. “If we compare the budget in 2023 and this year, there is a big, very important reduction in the budget,” he continued.

It is thought that the number of animals carrying rabies this year is higher than in previous years. One of the factors is that the spread of this disease is very fast, and that there is no budgetary support to exterminate animals with rabies.

As of July 2024, 504 cases of animal bites that transmit rabies (GHPR) have been recorded, of which 46 were positive for rabies. The GHPR case occurred on the island of Sumbawa. Meanwhile, the island of Lombok is free from rabies cases.

Former NTB Chief Distanbun said that in order to protect the island of Lombok from attacks by rabid animals, his party is closely monitoring animal traffic. “Don’t allow animal carriers from Sumbawa to enter Lombok. Bali is also infected with rabies, so that is what we control. “The island of Lombok is between the islands of Bali and Sumbawa. If we do not keep a close eye on livestock traffic, it could end up on the island of Lombok,” he explained.

Riyadi said that it was very difficult for the NTB province to be free from rabies, especially with the large number of stray dogs infected with this virus. So the vaccination gives you time to catch and bring in wild animals.

To reduce the number, you can also spay or spay animals that carry rabies. However, as this process also requires money, currently the provincial government has not made efforts to eradicate rabies other than to coordinate with provinces/cities.

“We hope that fertilization will be done and sterilization will be done. “Because if you want to hunt it is not possible, it will cause a reaction in society, with the biggest animal being spayed or fertilized,” he concluded. (century)