BNPB Targets December 2024 NTT Rabies Free

Illustration of rabies vaccination for animals (ANTARA)

KUPANG Head of the National Disaster Management Agency, Lt. Gen. Suharyanto, in a coordination meeting to handle the extraordinary rabies incident that was carried out at the East Nusa Tenggara Governor's office on Thursday, conveyed the target that December 2024 East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) was free of rabies.

In his direction, the head of BNPB said that this target must be achieved with an intense and strategic synergy between agencies to be able to realize East Nusa Tenggara which is free of rabies.

"BNPB will fully support all efforts made across agencies," said Suharyanto in his statement, Friday, June 21.

Based on data received by BNPB, it was recorded that the number of rabies vaccination realizations in East Nusa Tenggara Province was 312,527 doses with a population of 485,947 rabies-infectious animals, the need for special attention and acceleration of vaccination in each district/city to reach Herd Immunity 70% of the population of Rabies Infectious Animals (HPR).

Suharyanto also gave directions on the strategy of handling rabies in animals, namely by accelerating vaccination by being escorted by a rabies alert team, surveillance of rabies cases in rabies-contagious animals based on guidelines and surveillance rules by the Ministry of Agriculture, Data Collection, Socialization including Communication, Information and Education (KIE) and Monitoring of Rabies Infectious Animals (HPR).

There is a significant difference between 2023 and 2024, where there is a decrease in cases of infected residents in 22 regencies/cities in East Nusa Tenggara Province.

"I am sure we have all made every effort we can do with communication, information, education and warnings to residents and animal vaccination activities that are indicated to be rabies, if we double all these efforts and activities in the remaining six months, I am sure that December 2024 East Nusa Tenggara will be free from rabies," explained Suharyanto.