Roundup: Indonesia steps up FMD inspections, vaccinations ahead of Eid Al-Adha

by Dames Alexander Sinaga

JAKARTA, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian authorities are intensifying inspections and vaccinations to curb the risk of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak ahead of Eid Al-Adha celebrations.

Eid Al-Adha, observed from June 6 to June 7 this year, is an Islamic ritual during which Muslims purchase and sacrifice sheep, goats, or cows. One-third of the meat is consumed by the family, while the remainder is distributed to the poor.

As the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, Indonesia is grappling with a resurgence of FMD, a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats. The disease causes severe lameness and fatalities, disrupting the nation's livestock industry.

Indonesia had been FMD-free since 1986, a status internationally recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health in 1990, until the disease re-emerged in April 2022, with the first cases confirmed in East Java, the province with the country's largest cattle population.

Authorities have warned cattle breeders and sellers to ensure their animals are disease-free, ordering slaughterhouses to euthanize and bury any livestock showing symptoms or testing positive for the virus.

Recently, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa declared her region "safe" from FMD.

"In the last few days, the death toll from FMD in East Java has been recorded at zero. This shows that vaccination efforts and providing vitamins to livestock have yielded significant results," she told local media after meeting livestock farmers in Malang Regency on Monday.

However, the governor stressed the need for continued vigilance and regular monitoring to prevent further outbreaks. She instructed city and regency leaders, especially in high-market-activity areas, to heighten surveillance and immediately shut down animal markets if FMD cases are detected.

In February, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman announced that the central government had prepared 4 million vaccines as part of preventive measures to contain the disease nationwide.

Agung Suganda, the ministry's director general for animal husbandry and health, reported that 1.4 million vaccine doses had already been distributed. While some regions have reported zero cases, others have seen declining infection rates.

"We must not be careless. Monitoring livestock movement must remain strict, and we will continue expanding vaccinations," said Suganda. Enditem