RM3 mln to combat rabies from spreading

MoH has to answer why no ready vaccine — Dr Sim

KUCHING: About RM3 million has been allocated to contain the spread of rabies in Sarawak.

Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said both federal and state governments were fully committed in preventing the disease from spreading to areas outside the already infected areas

“The federal government is helping us, and has spent about RM2.4 million to buy vaccine for human.”

“On our part, we have allocated about RM500,000 to purchase vaccines and equipment for the front-liners because we believe they must also be protected,” he told a press conference at Mile 10 (Kota Padawan) community hall near here yesterday.

The chief minister said with the vaccine they received from the federal government, the state would be able to prevent people from being infected by rabies.

“We hope this will be able to contain the spread of rabies,” he added.

Abang Johari also said that Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah and Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian would be meeting the Indonesian Consulate in Kuching today (Friday) to discuss ways and means to jointly tackle the problem.

He said that based on records, there were dogs from Kalimantan going into and roaming in areas in the Malaysian side of the border, and vice versa, and most of the affected areas were situated along the border.

He concurred that for now, the border areas seemed to be very susceptible to rabies.

“That is why we are going to discuss about collaboration with Indonesia, which is one of precautionary measures we are now taking.”

Abang Johari also said the kind of collaboration they were looking into would include the sharing of information and creating buffer zone at the border.

Uggah, who was also present at the press conference, said the sharing of information was vital so that both governments (of Malaysia and Indonesia) could alert each other of any (rabies) occurrence at any site.

“Early detection is the key. We plan to vaccinate dogs in the area and then we will try to restrict the dogs’ movement between the border.

On a related subject, Uggah, who is also chairman of the State Disaster Management Committee, said there was no (rabies) suspect in the Mile 10 (Kota Padawan) area yet.

He said the idea of carrying out the dog vaccination exercise at Mile 10 was due to Siburan already being designated as a rabies-infected area.

He said since Siburan was not very far from Kuching, a buffer zone at Mile 10 would be built in the hope of stopping the spread of the disease to Kuching.

“That is why we are doing it for Mile 10 and Mile 7,” he said.

Uggah said the positive rabies case in Suburan only involved one stray dog.

“The idea is that if there is one dog rabies-positive there (Siburan), preventive measures would be implemented within the 10km radius.”

“But, we have to go beyond the 10km radius to have a buffer zone, because Kuching is a big city. That is why we are operating at Mile 10 and Mile 7.”

Uggah also confirmed that one dog had been identified rabies-positive in Lachau near Sri Aman.

So far four people have died from rabies. The first and second victims were siblings, a six-year-old girl and her fouryear-old brother from Paun, Sungai Rimu, Serian, who died on July 4.

The third victim is a sevenyear-old girl from Lebor, Serian, who died a week later while the fourth victim, a fiveyear-old girl from Ampungan, Serian succumbed to the disease on Tuesday. KUCHING: Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian says he has sent queries on the rabies outbreak in Sarawak to the Ministry of Heath (MoH) in Putrajaya seeking explanation as to why there are no ready vaccine for victims of the dreaded disease when it was first detected in Serian, which had resulted in four deaths.

He said if the ministry could not come up with satisfactory answers, he would ask the same questions in the coming parliamentary sitting.

“I can’t answer you, the ministry has to respond. I have already sent them the questionaires,” Dr Sim said when met at Kota Padawan community hall during the mass vaccination for dogs, yesterday.

When asked on the condition of the 52-year old victim from Remun in Serian, Dr Sim said the man had been given three doses of vaccines.

“He was bitten in May and he has been given three doses of vaccination. Unfortunately, the fourth dose could not be given as he’s already in critical condition at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH),” he said.

Dr Sim, who also looks after public health, urged the people to take the necessary precautions against the dreaded virus.

“That’s why we advised people that if someone is bitten by dog they must wash the wounds thoroughly and seek medical assistance immediately. In this way it can prevent the rabies virus from reaching the brain.”

On a related issue, Dr Sim said he would give a briefing on the rabies outbreak to all local councils in the state here (Kuching) today (July 21).

“We want to let all the people throughout Sarawak to be aware of the disease outbreak and the necessary measures to contain it. We will bring in all the experts if there is any queries,” he said.

Meanwhile, a rabies expert from Australia, Dr Andrea Britton, who is a member of the ‘Vets Beyond Border’ an NGO, said if the rabies victims have shown all the clinical symptoms, it would be almost impossible to save their lives.

“To save the victims, they must be treated as soon as they have been bitten by dogs.”

She said she was invited to the state by Sarawak Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animal (SSPCA) to assist in the vaccination of dogs. She was returning from India and was passing Indonesia when she was asked to come over.

“We hope that through the various initiatives by World Health Organisation (WHO), we can achieve a rabies-free society by 2030 with the help of all stakeholders such as the government, NGOs and the people.”

She also commended the efforts of the state government in containing the disease outbreak.

“The approach (to contain the rabies outbreak) taken by the state government is the right approach,” she said. KUCHING: The Health Department has begun to carry out rabies control and prevention activities in Sri Aman.

According to the State Disaster Management Committee secretariat, the activities were carried out after one dog was detected to be rabies-positive at Rh Janta, Punggu Mawang in Sri Aman.

The press statement also said 219 new dog bite cases were detected in Serian and Sri Aman since July 2.

Of the 219 cases, 29 of them happened in Serian and 26 in Sri Aman yesterday.

This brings the cumulative number of dog bites to 516 cases since April, said the statement.

It also said that 361 people had been given rabies vaccinations and that the state Health Department was presently trying to contact those who have yet to come for vaccination.

So far, the state Veterinary Services Department has designated 18 rabies outbreak areas - Krait, Paun Rimu, Paun Rimu Bakong, Remun, Lebor, Seroban, Tangga, Ampungan, Mentong Berawan, Mentong Silaga, Engkabang, Tampek Sumpas, Rasau, Siburan, Serian, Batu 45, Jalan Kuching-Serian (all in Serian), Temong Mura (in Tebedu), and Rh Janta Punggu Mawang in Sri Aman.

As of yesterday, 32 animals have been tested rabies-positive, 26 of them dogs and six cats.

Rabies control now carried out in Sri Aman