PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. GARUT - Ciloto Health Training Center (BBPK) Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia together with the Garut District Government will build an Epidemiology Field Laboratory in Garut Regency.

Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Head of BBPK Ciloto, Sjamsul Ariffin, and the Head of the Garut District Health Service, dr. Leli Yuliani, held in conjunction with the Regional Risk and Potential Mapping Workshop with a One Health Approach Wednesday (22/11/2023), at the Harmoni Hotel Ballroom, Garut Regency.

Head of the Garut Health Office, dr. Leli Yuliani, stated that Garut was chosen as a field laboratory because of cross-sector and community support, as well as being a training center for handling zoonotic outbreaks in Indonesia.

"Later, Garut will indeed become a field laboratory for conducting training related to rapid response to handling outbreaks caused by zoonoses," he said.

It is hoped that the location of the laboratory, in Margawati Village, will not only be beneficial for Garut but also for all of Indonesia.

"Because in Indonesia currently there is only one in Kulon Progo, and now the second is in Garut Regency, Garut Regency was chosen to be one of the laboratories for this epidemiology, because Garut Regency is cooperative, supports these programs. good for society," he said.

Not only that, he also believes that the existence of this field laboratory is expected to help the central government program to improve health human resources in Indonesia, in terms of responding to disease outbreaks that may occur.

"Then hopefully we can turn Margawati Village into a tourist village, because it will be visited by many people from various regions. Third, of course, epidemic alleviation programs can be handled immediately, so as soon as it is discovered that there is an outbreak, it can be resolved because it is "We already have field practice," he said.

The Head of the Garut Regency Diskannak, Beni Yoga Gunasantika, also provided a response to this strategic collaboration from BBPK Ciloto which is supported by INDOHUN and USAID, where he saw that the number of livestock populations, especially smallholder livestock in Garut Regency, was also quite strategic.

Beni also explained that through this workshop the participants, especially animal health officers, were trained to mitigate the risk of disaster from zoonoses caused by animals.

"So hopefully this will minimize the impacts that occur, such as those known to the public by bird flu, anthrax, rabies and so on. Hopefully with this training the causes or diseases caused by these animals can be further reduced," he said.

Head of BBPK Ciloto, Sjamsul Arifin, explained that Garut was chosen because of its characteristics which have the potential to experience outbreaks related to zoonoses. This field laboratory is expected to provide benefits to Garut and become a training location for participants from all over Indonesia, with the potential to improve the local economy through homestays.

Sjamsul also explained that the existence of this field laboratory will provide many benefits for Garut Regency, because later the participants who will use this field laboratory will come from various regions in Indonesia, so that Garut Regency can be exposed.

Sjamsul targets the epidemiology field laboratory in Garut Regency to be running next year, with the hope of increasing the choice of training vehicles for participants from all over Indonesia who train at BBPK Ciloto.

Also attended by various parties, including the Head of the Garut Regency Fisheries and Livestock Service, Beni Yoga Gunasantika, as well as virtually involving the Coordinator of the Indonesia One Health University Network (INDOHUN), Prof. Agus Suwadono, and Office Director of the United State Agency for International Development Indonesia (USAID), Enilda Martin. (rdp*)