School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science (SKHB) IPB University organised outbreak investigation training for frontline animal health workers of West Java Province. The training was held on (31/10) to (03/11) at Arch Hotel, Bogor.

This activity is a collaboration between SKHB IPB University, the Indonesian Veterinary Faculty Association (AFKHI) and the Indonesia Australia Red Meat and Cattle Partnership (IARMCP). The theme of this training was ‘Control and Management of Livestock Disease Outbreaks in the Cattle Farming Sector in Indonesia’.

The training was attended by 28 veterinarians and two paramedics from various agencies in West Java, including the Livestock and Fisheries Service Office, Food Security and Agriculture Service Office, Agriculture Service Office and Livestock and Animal Health Service Office. In addition, representatives from the South Garut Breeders Cooperative (KPGS) and Class 1 Agricultural Quarantine Station were also present.

AFKHI Secretary, Dr drh Teuku Reza Ferasyi in his speech said, “Surely this training can provide provisions for frontline veterinarians to always be ready to investigate outbreaks that will occur in the future,” he said.

The first agenda of the training was filled with the delivery of material on the basics of epidemiology and the causality triangle delivered by Dr drh Chaerul Basri as one of the facilitators of this training. Several other facilitators joined the training including Dr drh Widagdo Sri Nugroho as the national facilitator, drh Novia Herwandi, MPH from the Banten Province Agriculture and Livestock Service Office, and drh Pranyata T Waskita, MBiotek from Padjadjaran University.

In addition to the presentation of material, the training activities were also filled with discussions, making assignments, presentations and hands-on practice in groups. The field practice aimed to investigate the outbreak directly on dairy farms in the dairy cattle business area (Kunak) in Cibungbulang District, Bogor Regency.

Investigation activities were carried out by interviewing six farmers and direct observation to the barn. The data from the interviews were made into an animal disease outbreak report to be presented and discussed together.

The last day’s activities included a presentation on the flow of outbreak reporting, data and the National Animal Health Information System (iSIKHNAS) delivered by resource person Drh Syafrison Idris, MSi as the Animal Disease Observation Coordinator at the Directorate of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture. (AP/Rz) (IAAS/RUM)