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UNAIR NEWS – As long as Indonesia has not been free from avian flu virus, Indonesia will always have its livestock trade shackled. Since ASEAN Economic Community (MEA) commenced, Indonesia has not been able to export its livestocks as it has not been free from the avian flu.

This is what motivates Dr. Iswahyudi, drh., M.P to write his dissertation “Karakterisasi Asam Amino Virus Flu Burung di Pulau Jawa Periode 2012-2015 sebagai Landasan Kebijakan Pengendalian Penyakit Flu Burung di Indonesia (Avian Flu’s Amino Acid Characterization in Java Island in 2012-2015 as the Basis for Avian Flu Control Policy ”. The dissertation was tested and defensed in an open session in Tanjung Adiwinata Room, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FKH) ������, on Monday, May 30.

“Avian flu has been here since 2003, so we wanted to know the character of the virus in Indonesia. So later on this avian flu can be dealt with as other country has and free from this avian flu,” said the man born in Lamongan.

As elaborated in his dissertation, Iswahyudi said that the avian flu in Indonesia is always mutating. According to him, for avian flu control, there must be a special policy to update the master seed in vaccination process.

“There should be special updates on this master seed, so the vaccine acquired will be more compatible on site,” he said.

In the occasion, Iswahyudi commented on the government’s policy which regulates compensation for related disease control was already correct, but the implementation was not very effective. He suggested that a policy related to avian flu, should have enough funds.

He provided some data, vaccination needs about 57 million dosages for a year. But the government was only able to provide 4 or 5 million dosages.

“Why couldn’t the government provide, because the fund allocation was not even. On one side, when it transmitted to human, it will be dealth with at once. But, if it still infects livestock only, then it was considered as usual disease,” said the head of veterinary medicine, East javanese Animal Husbandry

Ketika disanggah mengenai dampak flu burung terhadap ekonomi, ia menanggapi bahwa negara Indonesia merupakan gudang ternak unggas. Saat perunggasan Indonesia mulai carut marut oleh wabah flu burung, ada tiga kerugian yang dialami oleh warga dan negara. Pertama, kehilangan proses produksi. Pasalnya, penyakit flu burung memiliki angka kematian seratus persen.

“If the birds die, what else to produce,” he said.

Second, the loss will be suffered by Indonesian as most of them work as farmers. And three, Indonesian natural resources will not be used excellently, especially in  a free trade competition.

“If Indonesia was free from the avian flu, then Indonesia would become the king of eggs international level, they could not accept our product as we have not been declared free from avian flu.”

Iswahyudi hoped that Indonesia could soon free from avian flu. By implemented policies regulated, to meet the requirements and regulations.

“Those are our reasons to conduct research as Indonesia has not been free, we can’t do anything also at national market,” said Iswahyudi. (*)

Author : Dilan Salsabila
Editor : Defrina Sukma S.