North Sumatra Declares Goal of Being Rabies-Free by 2030
The North Sumatra provincial government, together with district and municipal administrations and the North Sumatra chapter of the Indonesian Veterinary Medical Association (PDHI), has declared a commitment to making North Sumatra rabies-free by 2030.
This declaration represents a joint pledge to strengthen integrated rabies prevention and control while simultaneously protecting public health.
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The declaration was ratified on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the Astaka Field on Jalan Pancing in Deli Serdang by the Deputy Governor of North Sumatra, Surya. On that occasion, Surya also received a certificate from the Indonesian Record Museum (MURI) for achieving the highest rabies vaccination figure—specifically, 15,000 doses.
Surya stated that the North Sumatra provincial government is committed to ensuring the availability of rabies vaccines across all districts and cities.
According to him, this commitment is being realized through the strengthening of animal health centers, the enhancement of veterinary capacity, and improvements in surveillance, early detection, reporting, and the rapid, adequate treatment of cases.
“The North Sumatra provincial government is committed to ensuring the availability of rabies vaccines in all districts and cities, strengthening animal health centers, enhancing veterinary capacity, and improving surveillance, early detection, reporting, and the rapid and adequate treatment of cases,” said Surya.
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Surya revealed that 280 cases of rabies were recorded in North Sumatra in 2025. This figure serves as a reminder that rabies prevention concerns not only animal health but also the protection and safety of the community.
Furthermore, Surya emphasized that the goal of achieving a rabies-free North Sumatra by 2030 cannot be reached if the responsibility rests with a single party alone.
He therefore called upon all district and municipal governments, professional organizations, universities, the business sector, communities, and the general public to collaborate on prevention through a “One Health” approach that links human, animal, and environmental health.
He also stated that the mass vaccination of 15,000 animals against rabies represents a concrete step toward raising public awareness about the importance of regular pet vaccination. He is convinced that public awareness is key to breaking the chain of rabies transmission.
“I urge the entire community to have their pets vaccinated regularly. Public awareness is essential to breaking the chain of rabies transmission,” he said.
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Meanwhile, Nuryani Zainuddin, Secretary of the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health at the Ministry of Agriculture, stated that the rabies issue is not merely about case numbers or vaccination programs, but also about human health and lives.
“Behind every case of rabies are concerned families, parents hoping their children can be saved, and lives that could be lost—because rabies is a preventable disease,” she said.
The statement includes a joint commitment to make North Sumatra rabies-free by 2030 through integrated rabies prevention and control, vaccination across all districts and cities, surveillance and early detection, public awareness, and strengthened cross-sectoral cooperation using a One Health approach. ***rel
Sumut Deklarasikan Bebas Rabies 2030
Pemerintah Provinsi (Pemprov) Sumatera Utara (Sumut) bersama pemerintah kabupaten/kota dan Perhimpunan Dokter Hewan Indonesia (PDHI) Sumut mendeklarasikan Sumut bebas rabies 2030.
Deklarasi tersebut menjadi komitmen bersama untuk memperkuat pencegahan dan pengendalian rabies secara terpadu sekaligus melindungi kesehatan masyarakat.
Deklarasi tersebut disaksikan Wakil Gubernur (Wagub) Sumut Surya di Lapangan Astaka, Jalan Pancing, Deliserdang, Minggu (27/9/2026). Pada kesempatan tersebut, Surya juga menerima sertifikat Museum Rekor Indonesia (MURI) atas capaian vaksinasi rabies terbanyak, yakni sebanyak 15 ribu dosis.
Surya mengatakan Pemprov Sumut berkomitmen memastikan ketersediaan vaksin rabies di seluruh kabupaten/kota.
Menurutnya, komitmen tersebut juga diwujudkan melalui penguatan pusat kesehatan hewan, peningkatan kapasitas tenaga medis veteriner, serta penguatan surveilans, deteksi dini, pelaporan, dan penanganan kasus secara cepat dan tepat.
“Pemerintah Provinsi Sumatera Utara berkomitmen memastikan ketersediaan vaksin rabies di seluruh kabupaten dan kota, memperkuat pusat kesehatan hewan, meningkatkan kapasitas tenaga medis veteriner, memperkuat surveilans, deteksi dini, pelaporan, serta penanganan kasus secara cepat dan tepat,” kata Surya.
Surya mengungkapkan, Sumatera Utara mencatat 280 kasus rabies sepanjang 2025. Angka tersebut menjadi pengingat bahwa pencegahan rabies tidak hanya berkaitan dengan kesehatan hewan, tetapi juga menyangkut perlindungan dan keselamatan masyarakat.
Lebih lanjut, Surya menegaskan target Sumut bebas rabies pada 2030 tidak akan tercapai apabila hanya menjadi tanggung jawab satu pihak.
Karena itu, ia mengajak seluruh pemerintah kabupaten/kota, organisasi profesi, perguruan tinggi, dunia usaha, komunitas, dan masyarakat untuk bersama-sama melakukan pencegahan melalui pendekatan One Health yang menghubungkan kesehatan manusia, hewan, dan lingkungan.
Selain itu, ia menyebut vaksinasi rabies massal terhadap 15 ribu ekor hewan merupakan langkah nyata untuk mendorong kesadaran masyarakat agar rutin memberikan vaksinasi kepada hewan peliharaannya. Menurutnya, kesadaran masyarakat menjadi salah satu kunci untuk memutus rantai penularan rabies.
“Saya juga mengajak seluruh masyarakat, rutin memvaksinasi hewan peliharaannya. Kesadaran masyarakat merupakan kunci untuk memutus rantai penularan rabies,” katanya.
Sementara itu, Sekretaris Direktorat Jenderal Peternakan dan Kesehatan Hewan Kementerian Pertanian Nuryani Zainuddin mengatakan persoalan rabies tidak sekadar berbicara soal angka kasus atau program vaksinasi, melainkan menyangkut kesehatan dan kehidupan manusia.
“Di balik satu kasus rabies, ada keluarga yang cemas, ada orang tua yang berharap anaknya dapat diselamatkan, dan ada kehidupan yang dapat berakhir karena penyakit rabies ini sebenarnya dapat kita cegah,” ujarnya.
Deklarasi tersebut berisi komitmen bersama untuk mewujudkan Sumatera Utara bebas rabies pada 2030 melalui pencegahan dan pengendalian rabies secara terpadu, penyediaan vaksin di seluruh kabupaten/kota, pelaksanaan surveilans dan deteksi dini, edukasi masyarakat, serta penguatan kolaborasi lintas sektor melalui pendekatan One Health. ***rel
