Ombudsman Suggests Task Force Raise PMK Status To National Epidemic

Livestock indicated for FMD are injected with a vaccine. (Between)

JAKARTA - The Ombudsman assesses the impact and scope of the spread of mouth and nail disease (PMK) has expanded in Indonesia. On that basis, the Ombudsman advised the PMK Task Force to raise the status of the PMK outbreak to a national epidemic.

"The Indonesian Ombudsman has publicly suggested that the PMK Task Force upgrade the status from a certain emergency status to a national epidemic status," said RI Ombudsman member Yeka Hendra Fatika when giving a press statement at the RI Ombudsman Office, Jakarta, Thursday 14 July.

The increase in status, said Yeka, is needed because the PMK outbreak has met the criteria for a national disaster, as contained in Article 7 paragraph (2) of Law Number 24 of 2007 concerning Disaster Management.

He then mentioned that many animals were infected with FMD which had implications for the high number of dead animals and the large number of infected cows, causing a decrease in productivity in the livestock sector in the country.

There are also, he said, indicators related to the high value of economic losses caused as a whole and the wide distribution of areas affected by PMK.

Yeka explained the number of animals exposed to FMD. As of Thursday, July 14, at 08.56 WIB, the total number of sick animals reached 366,540.

"Based on the Ombudsman's monitoring as of Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 08.56 WIB on the standbypmk.id page, the total number of sick animals reached 366,540, 140,321 recovered, 2,419 died, 3,698 were conditionally slaughtered, and 220,102 have not recovered," he said.

Based on the data, Yeka said, the potential loss experienced by cattle farmers is estimated to be no less than Rp.788.81 billion.

In addition, he continued, the area of the spread of the FMD outbreak has also increased, from data on May 9, 2022, it was confirmed that two provinces became 22 provinces on July 13, 2022.

"This has met the criteria to be designated as a national disaster, as stipulated in Law Number 24 of 2007 concerning Disaster Management," he said.