INIPASTI.COM, Kuta-Bali – To reduce the number of rabies cases in animals, especially in dogs in Bali Province, the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) through the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health (Ditjen PKH) encourages provincial/regency/city governments to immediately start carry out rabies mass vaccination sooner in February 2023.
This was conveyed by Nuryani Zainuddin, Director of Animal Health, Directorate General of PKH while attending the Rabies Control Cross-Sectoral Coordination Meeting in Bali Province in Kuta, Thursday (09/02).
“Rabies Mass Vaccination must be carried out immediately to suppress the circulation of the rabies virus, especially in dogs in villages infected with rabies in 2022,” Nuryani stressed.
Nuryani said, after the infected village had been vaccinated, it must immediately proceed with vaccination in other villages around it, so that it would cover all villages in Bali.
“This vaccination is a priority, considering that Rabies cases in animals during 2022 have increased due to delays in the implementation of vaccinations due to the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020,” said Nuryani.
Imran Pambudi, as Director of Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Health, also conveyed impetus for accelerating Rabies vaccination.
Imran also asked for the availability of vaccines and anti-rabies serum for victims of Rabies-transmitting animal bite cases to maintain their availability, and it was necessary to carry out a Rabies eradication campaign by establishing Rabies Vaccination Month for animals.
“This is a strategy and operational plan for controlling Rabies in Bali that has been mutually agreed upon across ministries,” said Imron.
On the same occasion, Anak Agung Wife Inten Wiradewi, Head of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health, Agriculture and Food Security Service of the Province of Bali said that his party is ready to start mass vaccination against rabies in February 2023.
According to him, logistics and vaccination officers are ready to target infected villages, even in several districts vaccination activities have started.
“The vaccine we currently have from WOAH assistance, and with additional procurement of vaccines sourced from APBN, APBD I and II in 2023, is sufficient for mass rabies vaccination with a target of around 600 thousand dogs in Bali,” he added.
Support for accelerating mass vaccination also came from various related parties who also attended the meeting, namely from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the agency in charge of the animal health function as well as district/city health offices throughout Bali, the Bali branch of the Indonesian Veterinary Association, the Association of Experts. Indonesian Public Health (IAKMI), Bali Traditional Village Assembly, One Health Collaborating Center (OHCC) UNUD, and several international partners such as APCAT, FAO, and AIHSP.
Meanwhile, John Weaver from the Australia-Indonesia Partnership Program for Health Resilience (AIHSP) at the same location said that his party is committed to helping implement a sustainable Rabies eradication in Bali.
According to him, there must be a long-term work plan to be able to immediately resolve Rabies in Bali. “At least mass vaccination of animals is needed for three consecutive years accompanied by surveillance to be able to lead Bali towards rabies liberation,” he concluded.
