When Vaccinations Take a Vacation

(12/27/2010)

The provincial government of Bali has scheduled a mass vaccination of dogs to take place in the months of May and June 2011 as a crucial step in bringing the current rabies epidemic under control.

Beritabali.com describes the coming mass vaccination program as follow-up to the failed mass vaccination program originally scheduled to take place in 2010. That failure is being blamed by officials on the lateness of promised funding form the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture in the amount of Rp. 14 billion (US$1.56 million).

The head of Bali's Animal Husbandry department told the press on December 20, 2010, that the vaccination drive scheduled for mid-2011 is still tied to whether or not the disbursement of funds will be delayed from the Ministry. The Ministry has promised to give Bali Rp. 20 billion (US2.2 million) in 2011.

Bali officials are hopeful that the 2011 funding pledge will be received in February, in time to allow preparations for the vaccination drive scheduled to commence in May.

Bali officials estimate Rp. 25-30 billion (US$2.7 – $3.3 million) is needed to fund the operational costs of a mass vaccination program in 2011 and to keep Bali on track with its pledge to eradicate rabies from the island by 2013.

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