"The process of making this PMK vaccine uses tissue culture technology with BKH 21 cells."
Head of the Public Relations and Public Information Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, Kuntoro Boga said the Veterinary Farma Center (Pusvetma), which is one of the Technical Implementation Units (UPT) under the Ministry of Agriculture, is currently in the process of making vaccines for Mouth and Nail Diseases (PMK).
"Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) has directly instructed the Director General of Livestock and Animal Health that Pusvetma immediately produce vaccines after the emergence of cases of FMD in East Java before the last Eid al-Fitr," said Kuntoro in a written statement Saturday, May 28, 2022.
Indonesia's ability to produce FMD vaccines began in 1952 and carried out a mass vaccination program in 1964. Then Indonesia has been free from FMD since 1986 and has been recognized in ASEAN since 1987, as well as internationally recognized by the World Animal Health Organization (Office International des Epizooties-OIE). ) since 1990. Since then, Indonesia no longer produces FMD vaccines.
Head of the Veterinary Center, Edy Budi Susila, said that along with the outbreak of the entry of Mouth and Nail Diseases, the process of developing vaccine production at Pusvetma has started again and is currently entering isolate purification and the sixth phase.
"The process of making this PMK vaccine uses tissue culture technology with BKH 21 cells," said Edy. "The vaccine is inactive and formulated with adjuvants."
Nevertheless, Edi said that the development of FMD vaccine production requires a process because Pusvetma previously did not produce vaccines for the disease since Indonesia was declared free of FMD without vaccination by the World Animal Health Agency (OIE) in 1990. He targets the vaccine to be produced by the end of August 2022.
With the various challenges that exist, Edy ensured, the Pusvetma Team will be able to develop the vaccine production needed even though it requires various adjustments. (Ministry of Agriculture, Antara, photo: illustration)
