By: Nofita Nurbiyanti and Sunandar

Brucellosis is an economically-significant animal disease. It is responsible for production loss in the cattle industry and can cause disease in human. The Directorate of Animal Health has named Brucellosis a priority disease for eradication. Guidelines for Brucellosis Control and Eradication in Indonesia are needed to develop comprehensive and measurable strategies for effective and efficient implementation in the field. The aim is to minimize economic loss, increase cattle population, support food security, and protect the public from Brucellosis. It is also consistent with the 2014 Beef Self-sufficiency Program from the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services aimed to meet domestic demands of beef in Indonesia. In 2013, Center for Indonesian Veterinary Analytical Studies (CIVAS) was hired as a consultant tocollaborate with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), Australia Indonesia Partnership for Emerging Infectious Disease (AIP EID) and Directorate of Animal health, Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services, Ministry of Agriculture in drafting a masterplan for Brucellosis control and eradication in Indonesia.

Our task was to prepare a draft of the masterplan and, together with DAFF, facilitate discussions with the Directorate of Animal Health, Disease Investigation Centers (DICs), and several local Livestock and Animal Health Services in Indonesia. We held a pre-workshop in Sahati Hotel in Jakarta on May 24, 2013, a 1^st workshop in Sahati Hotel in Jakarta on July 30, 2013, a final workshop in Amaroossa Hotel in Bogor on November 11-12, 2013, and serval internal meetings with the Directorate of Animal Health and DAFF.

In the numerous discussions held, several constraining factors have been identifiedsince the initiation of Brucellosis control in 1996/1997, i.e. poor reporting of disease, lack of identification for vaccinated animals, different topographic, social and cultural conditions in different regions, slow response to reports of disease, violation of animal movement regulations or others, out of date regulations, etc. Some of these factors can be overcome through active participation from the industry and public in disease detection efforts and early reporting, and by convincing local governments to contribute to disease eradication in their area for better economic revenue and public health.

Brucellosis eradication in Indonesia will use a stepwise approach. There are three main activities: (1) identify infected areas and cull all reactor animals (detect cases through passive surveillance and regular sero-surveys with confirmation tests and epidemiological assessment); (2) vaccinate susceptible populatins; (3) movement control and animal tracing. Overall, the eradication strategy for Brucellosis in the masterplan combines the stepwise approach with zoning (suspect areas/unknown prevalnece, highly infected areas/high prevalence, low infected areas/low prevalence, free areas and zones/compartments). Currently the masterplan is waiting for official approval from the Director of Animal Health and Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services.