JAKARTA, Jun 23 (NNN-ANTARA) – A total of 28 million doses of vaccines will be provided for livestock across Indonesia, in a bid to overcome the re-emergence of the deadly foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a minister said here, yesterday.
The budget for the livestock vaccination campaign is being prepared, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto said, adding that, the government has imported at least three million vaccine doses and distributed them to the worst affected regions.
“We will continue to increase the number up to 28 million vaccine doses. Healthy animals are vaccinated while sick animals are treated,” said the minister.
As of Tuesday, the viral disease has spread across 208 municipalities in 19 provinces. More than 210,000 animals were reportedly infected and at least 1,266 animals died from the disease, according to official data from the National FMD Task Force.
More than 67,000 animals have recovered, as the authorities deployed thousands of veterinary paramedics and distributed medicines, antibiotics, vitamins, immune boosters, as well as, disinfecting agents to livestock farmers.
Meanwhile, 1,571 livestock animals have been vaccinated with the imported vaccines.
The Agriculture Ministry is currently developing its own vaccines, to overcome the crisis and expects they will be ready in late July or late Aug.– NNN-ANTARA
