Widagdo Sri Nugroho, a lecturer at the Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKH UGM), was officially inaugurated as Professor in the field of Field Epidemiology and Animal Health Policy on Thursday (Apr. 8) at the UGM Senate Hall.
In his inaugural speech titled “A Comprehensive Epidemiological Approach as the Foundation of National Animal Health Development Policy,” he highlighted the complex, multidimensional challenges facing animal health development in Indonesia.
Opening his speech, Professor Nugroho referred to animal disease outbreaks that have affected Indonesia over the past twenty-five years, including Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), African Swine Fever (ASF), and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD). These issues, he noted, are not merely technical animal health problems but are also linked to economic, socio-cultural, institutional, human resource, trade, and funding factors at both national and regional levels.
“This reminds us that national animal health management requires a more comprehensive approach with a one health, one welfare perspective to maximize all potentials,” he said.
In managing animal health, Professor Nugroho emphasized the need to apply the concept of causality in population health. This concept helps explain that disease occurrence is not coincidental. He explained that disease patterns are influenced by distribution, frequency, and causative factors identified through systematic, population-level approaches studied in epidemiology.
“Causal relationships in disease events must be understood in the context of populations, not just individuals. These influencing factors become the basis for disease control and prevention,” he explained.
In Indonesia, epidemiology plays an important role in surveillance systems, risk mapping, and the formulation of animal disease control policies. Descriptive epidemiology has long been used to describe disease conditions by frequency, geographic distribution, and timing within populations. In addition, spatial epidemiology continues to develop in Indonesia as an archipelagic country with diverse ecosystems.
“Spatial visualization through thematic maps makes it easier to identify risk clusters and prioritize interventions,” Professor Nugroho explained.
Furthermore, animal disease investigations also apply analytic epidemiology, which has been implemented since the HPAI outbreak in 2003. These studies aim to explain population disease events, including biological patterns and the direction of disease occurrence involving hosts (animals), space (spatial), and time.
“Descriptive approaches are the initial foundation, but the complexity of animal health challenges in Indonesia requires strengthening analytic and spatial epidemiology based on information technology and integrated surveillance systems,” he said.
Currently, digital technology is also being used to conduct epidemiological analyses of animal health in Indonesia through the National Animal Health Information System (iSIKHNAS). This system greatly assists in explaining the status of animal diseases across the country. He noted that presenting spatial data in this way helps readers understand disease events and distribution locations.
“In critical and priority locations, more detailed information can be elaborated to clarify situations occurring in various regions of Indonesia,” he stated.
Professor Nugroho explained that disease modeling commonly uses linear regression, logistic regression, and path analysis. These models aim to predict disease occurrence based on multivariate risk factor analysis. In several studies, linear regression has been used to predict prevalence, such as Salmonella infection in laying hens in Sleman. Logistic regression is often used to predict the probability of disease occurrence, such as in studies on brucellosis in cattle in Klaten.
“These two modeling examples demonstrate direct causative factors in predicting disease occurrence,” he said.
However, field conditions do not only show direct causative factors. He explained that path analysis can reveal relationships between factors and disease events, both direct and indirect. This was observed in research on Avian Influenza in ducks at the Alabio duck farming center in South Kalimantan.
“This modeling provides a clearer and more compelling picture of risk factors for disease events. These are key factors that can be recommended for management to prevent or reduce disease occurrence,” he explained.
At the end of his speech, he reaffirmed that animal health development must be based on empirical data collected systematically, analyzed scientifically, and evaluated periodically. This ensures that the resulting policies are adaptive to disease dynamics, ecosystem changes, and socio-economic developments. Such efforts contribute to the resilience and independence of animal-based food security, protection of public health from zoonoses, and increased global competitiveness of Indonesian animal products.
“With a comprehensive epidemiological approach, animal health development can be more effectively directed toward realizing Sesanti Manusya Mriga Satwa, which means promoting public welfare through tangible and sustainable animal health,” Professor Nugroho concluded.
The Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Professor Ova Emilia, stated that Professor Widagdo is now one of 547 active professors at UGM. At FKH UGM, he is one of 23 active professors out of 36 in the faculty.
Author: Cyntia Noviana
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photo: Firsto