Bats in their natural habitat in Jenetaesa Village - Photo courtesy ©National Geographic Indonesia

Maros, 26/7/2023 In Jenetaesa, there is a triangular relationship between wild animals, domestic livestock, and humans, which constantly poses a risk of zoonotic virus transmission. This village in the province of South Sulawesi is home to a significant population of bats that live near humans, who raise livestock or run poultry farms, exposing them to the risk of zoonotic diseases. Realizing the risk, villagers maintain the ecosystem balance by protecting bats.

To keep the risk as low as possible, they use triangulated surveillance: bats, livestock, and humans. From 2016 to 2020, the Disease Investigation Centre (DIC) Maros was appointed by the Indonesian Government as the focal point for the implementation of triangulated surveillance, a cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and FAO, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

DIC Maros personnel regularly collect blood samples, and nasal and rectal swabs on the livestock in Jenetaesa, and send the samples to the laboratory for testing. This surveillance marks the first of its kind in Indonesia. In 2017, DIC Maros with FAO ECTAD successfully tested viruses from potential Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) virus families (coronavirus, paramyxovirus, and influenza virus) in 984 livestock in four provinces on Sulawesi Island in a high interface area with wildlife reservoirs.

Triangulated surveillance has enabled detection of EIDs at an early stage in wild animals, livestock, and humans, involving intersectoral One Health collaboration to enhance prevention and control measures, and mitigate future zoonotic threats. The implementation of triangulated surveillance has enabled DIC Maros to handle anthrax outbreaks in 2016 and 2020 successfully. The strong collaboration between the local Animal Health Service Office and the Public Health Office along with the community is the key to realizing this success.

In 2020, when livestock were reported to be infected with anthrax, DIC Maros personnel took samples and implemented a lockdown in Jenetaesa village. Officers of the Public Health Office distributed information and literature on human and public health, whilst working to protect the health of the livestock.

As the COVID-19 epidemic raged in Indonesia, the Government of Indonesia stepped up its One Health collaboration to support the Ministry of Health referral laboratories by preparing animal health laboratories to test human samples for COVID-19. DIC Maros was also specifically asked by the Governor of South Sulawesi and the Regent of Maros to assist in accelerating COVID-19 testing in humans, which led DIC Maros to become one of the seven designated animal laboratories in Indonesia capable of testing COVID-19 samples in humans after passing a Ministry of Health assessment. FAO and MoA jointly supported the provision of laboratory supplies as well as conducted biosafety workshops for DICs to ensure a smooth implementation of this initiative.

During the last two years, DIC Maros analysed more than 12,000 samples from three districts. They were instrumental in people tracing efforts using SiLacak, a COVID-19 contact tracing application system, jointly developed by FAO, World Health Organization (WHO), and the Ministry of Health of Indonesia. This Application integrated contact tracing data nationally into a single information system.

The selection of DIC Maros was a tangible result of the close collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture, FAO Indonesia, and USAID Indonesia, which largely helped improve capacity at several DICs, including DIC Maros, for more than 16 years.

Impactful One Health Collaboration

 Jenetaesa Village is a small representation of the vast area of South Sulawesi, which is filled with rich biodiversity and high livestock populations. South Sulawesi, as a ‘zoonotic disease hotspot’, has led the FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) to expand the FAO One Health-focused EID and zoonoses prevention and control programme. The interventions commenced to control Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) by the Participatory Disease Surveillance and Response (PDSR) programme, South Sulawesi has quickly turned into an intervention region that serves as a pioneer for strengthening Indonesia's One Health system.

Over the years, FAO has partnered with DIC Maros to enhance the animal health system in the eastern part of Indonesia, including South Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo, North Sulawesi, North Maluku, Northeast Sulawesi, and Maluku. FAO through USAID support has also assisted in improving DIC Maros personnel capacity in carrying out their main tasks of observations and identification of diagnoses and testing of veterinary and animal products, as well as developing techniques and methods of veterinary investigation, diagnosis, and testing with training programs.

On 20 July 2023, USAID, accompanied by MoA and FAO, paid a visit to the DIC Maros laboratory to witness their diagnostic capacities as part of the efforts to strengthen One Health system in Indonesia. “USAID applauds the Ministry of Agriculture and DIC Maros for their important work as we strengthen our partnership to better prevent and control zoonotic diseases. If we are to learn from the avian influenza, anthrax, rabies and COVID-19, we must take the One Health approach seriously. I commend Indonesia for the collaborative model you are setting,” said Michael Schiffer, Assistant Administrator of USAID’s Bureau for Asia.

“Sustaining improvement in animal and human health capacities, both for diagnosis and response, is critical for achieving stronger public health resilience. FAO hopes that this programme can further strengthen One Health approach among the relevant government bodies and related stakeholders to achieve our common strategic goals, both nationally and internationally,” said Rajendra Aryal, FAO Representative in Indonesia and Timor Leste. “FAO will continue to work closely together with the Government of Indonesia in safeguarding animal and human health from zoonoses and infectious diseases,” added Aryal further.