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ne of the challenges hindering the growth of tourism on Flores and Lembata islands in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) is rabies.

From the first case in 1997 in the East Flores regency capital of Larantuka until the middle of this year, more than 200 people have died from the disease on the islands after being bitten by rabid dogs.

The NTT provincial administration initially responded to the epidemic by culling dogs. However the policy was met with some backlash as NTT residents are very close to dogs, which have economic and traditional value, and are a part of customs in the province.

The animal health directorate of the Agriculture Ministry and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Emergency Center for Trans-boundary Animal Diseases (FAO ECTAD) carried out a rabies control program from Sept.1, 2013, until Aug. 2016, with support from World Animal Protection (WAP).

The US$650,000 program has strengthened the capacity of the Indonesian government to control rabies effectively and humanely, with a special focus on nine regencies on Flores and Lembata islands, namely Ende, East Flores, Lembata, Manggarai, West Manggarai, East Manggarai , Nagekeo, Ngada and Sikka.

The matter was disclosed by the technical adviser of FAO Andri Jatikusumah in a workshop on rabies control on Flores and Lembata islands to the media at La Prima Restaurant in Labuan Bajo on Tuesday.

Andri said that the initial mass vaccination of dogs on the islands in 2013 had covered 1,600 of an estimated total of 2,500 dogs over 946 villages. In the second mass operation in 2014, 2,500 of an estimated number of 3,600 dogs were vaccinated in 1,316 villages.

“Ever since the implementation of the mass vaccinations, the number of rabies cases on Flores and Lembata has continued to decline. In 2014, there were 24 cases, and 14 cases in 2015. In 2014, five people were bitten by rabid dogs, and in 2015 it decreased to 3 cases,” he said.

Andri added that 300,000 of the estimated 400,000 dogs on Flores and Lembata would be vaccinated over 1,600 villages this year.

“So far, FAO has provided assistance with training officers on Flores and Lembata islands, including providing supporting facilities, such as refrigerators. Local administrations, the Catholic Church Institute and traditional and community leaders are currently involved in curbing rabies on the islands and setting an example for other regions in Indonesia for rabies disease management,” said Andri.

Indonesia FAO ECTAD team leader James McGrane expressed gratitude to the NTT provincial administration for the cooperation and support in coordinating the implementation of the program in the nine regencies on Flores and Lembata.

“I believe the [goals of the] program have largely been achieved, for example, the road map of the progressive rabies eradication in Indonesia based on appropriate and advanced principles used by the Indonesian government,” he said.

West Manggarai regency assistant secretary Marthinus Ban said Flores in general and West Manggarai in particular, had become major tourist destinations in the NTT and thousands of foreign and domestic tourists traveling to West Manggarai were exposed to the threat of rabies. So far, there are no reports of tourists being infected with rabies.