Beware Of PMK On Livestock, Sleman Asks Government To Supply Vaccines

Veterinarians prepare to give vaccine injections to cattle with indications of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Aceh Besar in May 2022. (Antara-Ampelsa)

SLEMAN - The Sleman Regency Government, Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) submitted a request for vaccine assistance to control the spread of mouth and nail disease (PMK) in livestock in the region.

Acting (Plt) Head of DP3 Sleman Suparmono said the request for the PMK vaccine was submitted to the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture.

"We continue to strive to overcome the outbreak of FMD transmission in livestock, including asking for assistance with FMD vaccine from the central government," said Suparmono in Sleman, DIY, Monday, June 13.

According to him, as an effort to spread and transmit PMK, his party also carries out strict supervision of livestock traffic.

"In addition, quarantine and treatment of suspect livestock," he said, as quoted by Antara.

He said, based on the national health information system (Isikhnas) as of June 10, 2022 at 10.00 WIB, the number of livestock in Sleman with suspected PMK is 1,183 animals.

"This number has increased compared to data on June 8, 2022, which amounted to 908 cattle with 882 suspected and 26 confirmed positive," he said.

Suparmono said that not all suspected animal cases could be confirmed as PMK, because it had not been decided whether all of them had to undergo a PCR test or not.

"If the PMK settlement model is like COVID-19, it will encourage tracking and PCR. In fact, one PCR test for animals requires around Rp. 500 thousand to Rp. 600 thousand," he said.

He said, to prevent the spread of PMK transmission, currently suspected cattle in Sleman were quarantined and then given care and treatment.

"A number of facilities and infrastructure are needed in an effort to overcome FMD, one of which is medicine with a total of 1,400,000 doses. Then 846,000 doses of vitamin, 900 liters of disinfectant, 97,050 doses of vaccine and 500 sets of PPE. ," he said.

He said his staff had recorded the animals that needed the vaccine and reported it to the center and hoped that by the end of June or early July at least the vaccine had arrived and could be used immediately.

"The total number of livestock in Sleman Regency, from cows, buffaloes, sheep to goats, is 103,000. It is hoped that 75 percent of this number will be vaccinated," he said.