We are working with a time frame of six months since the task force was formed. We hope that by the end of this year, we can control the case (rate) by having the number of reported cases decrease from time to timeJakarta (ANTARA) - The foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) handling task force has said that it expects the number of new FMD cases nationwide to reach zero by the end of 2022.
"We are working with a time frame of six months since the task force was formed. We hope that by the end of this year, we can control the case (rate) by having the number of reported cases decrease from time to time,” government spokesperson for FMD handling Wiku Adisasmito said here on Wednesday.
Currently, six Indonesian provinces have been declared free of new FMD cases, the task force reported.
The efforts carried out by the government to handle FMD have involved the implementation of tight controls and routine coordination from the central to regional levels to suppress the spread of the disease, Adisasmito said.
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The implementation of this supervision is in accordance with the multilevel policies contained in the five FMD task force strategies, namely biosecurity, treatment and recovery of livestock, livestock testing, conditional slaughter, and vaccination.
"We always coordinate with local governments regarding infected and infection-free areas. We want to ensure that they (green zones) protect their territory and for the red zone, it is expected to continue to report the latest conditions," he informed.
The government has tightened the application of biosecurity to the level of foreign tourists, both those arriving in Indonesia and those returning to their country.
"One example is placing foot mats and disinfectant spray at the arrival and departure gates of Ngurah Rai and Sentani International Airports, and other areas that are included in the FMD-free zones," Adisasmito said.
In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture is collaborating with the FMD task force to intensify the distribution of vaccines and prioritize them for healthy livestock in green zones.
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"Vaccination has been carried out for more than 1.2 million (dose) vaccines. In Indonesia, the number of new cases of FMD is decreasing. This shows that vaccines are able to suppress FMD transmission," he said.
For the initial stage of FMD handling, the government has distributed 3 million doses of the FMD vaccine in 2 phases—800 thousand doses have been distributed and administered to livestock, and 2.2 million doses are being distributed and administered to livestock.
“Studies have proven that the FMD vaccine can reduce the financial impact on farmers in Southeast Asia," Adisasmito said.
Based on data from the FMD handling task force, as of August 9, 2022, as many as 24 out of 37 provinces have been exposed to FMD. Of the 24 provinces, 6 provinces, including Bali, Riau Islands, Jakarta, and South Kalimantan, have not detected new cases or hit zero cases.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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