Fajarasia.co – Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, asked the government to tighten supervision of places where sacrificial animals are sold ahead of Eid al-Adha 1443 Hijri which falls on July 10, 2022. This follows the increasing number of cases of foot and mouth disease (PMK), which mostly attack cows.
“Supervision must continue to be carried out until the last moment before Eid al-Adha so that the animals used as sacrifices are truly fit and healthy,” said Puan, Friday (8/7/2022).
The first woman who serves as Chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives reminded the Department of Agriculture in each region to continue to go out into the field to check the stalls selling sacrificial animals in their area. Puan also asked for community participation.
“Our residents are urged to report to the local Agriculture Service if they find any animals that are indicated to be unhealthy. And for people who want to sacrifice, they must be observant in buying livestock,” he said.
“If possible, buy sacrificial animals at a place or seller who has certification. And make sure the animals purchased have an animal health certificate (SKKH) so that the meat of the sacrificial animal is safe for consumption,” continued Puan.
The former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture also asked residents, especially those on the sacrificial committee, to monitor the slaughtering process carefully. Puan appealed to the public to pay close attention to the condition of the sacrificial meat.
“Although animals affected by FMD are safe for consumption after being boiled for at least 30 minutes, residents still have to be vigilant,” he said.
Furthermore, Puan encouraged the Government to intensify the livestock vaccination program to anticipate the spread of PMK. The latest data, FMD is known to have spread in 236 regencies/cities in 21 provinces with a total of 334,213 livestock infected with FMD. A total of 114,998 cattle have been declared cured.
“The government must also pay attention to the needs of animal health workers in the regions. There must be an effort to increase the number of animal vaccinators so that the vaccination coverage is wider,” said Puan.
The DPR supports the steps taken by the Ministry of Agriculture to involve veterinarians and animal health paramedics within the TNI/Polri to carry out vaccinations. Even so, said Puan, additional steps are needed to maximize the animal vaccination program.
“The government can cooperate with veterinary students in collaboration with universities. Of course, through training programs first,” he said.
Currently, 3 million doses of the first phase of PMK vaccine are available domestically. However, the number of PMK vaccines that have been distributed and injected has not been maximized.
“The more veterinary workers who are hired, the higher the animal vaccination coverage. The hope is that the PMK that spreads in Indonesia can be immediately addressed,” added Puan.
Puan also appealed to farmers and cattle owners to cooperate in the animal vaccination program. Because in some areas, the animal vaccination program has been rejected.
“I understand that cows for farmers are an investment in the future, so fear is normal. But keep in mind, vaccination can strengthen the immunity of livestock so that it will be safer from PMK, “said the grandson of the Proclaimer of the Republic of Indonesia Bung Karno.
On the other hand, the application of restrictions on the mobility of livestock is also considered to be optimized. Officers who are at the border must really check the completeness of the SKKH of the animals that are brought.
“This is done to ensure that the health of the livestock that will be consumed by the community is guaranteed,” concluded Puan.****
