DVS Sarawak short of 800 personnel — Director

KUCHING: The Department of Veterinary Services ( DVS) Sarawak is facing a serious shortage of 800 personnel in its fight against rabies.

State DVS director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud said it is high time for higher learning institutes in Sarawak to increase their enrolment for veterinary studies.

He said such a move would pave the way for not just combating rabies but also other possible animal-related diseases.

“At the moment, DVS Sarawak has only 200 officers, and this number shows a huge gap given the department’s target of having 1,000 officers,” he said at the Sarawak Veterinary Association’s appreciation dinner here on Saturday.

Dr Adrian pointed out that even the DVS Sabah had 700 officers.

He said Sarawak would require more officers since the Sarawak government had declared rabies as a level two disaster.

According to him, rabies outbreak already occurred in the neighbouring country of Indonesia way back in 1974 when the death toll was high.

He said Sarawak is geographically close to Kalimantan and had been affected by the rabies only in recent years.

“Before this, we have not even heard of rabies, including myself. Only after some incidents being brought to light did we learn about dog bites and the symptoms that followed.

“Hence, we should take extra caution and do not let the rabies spread further,” he added.

Dr Adrian disclosed that some 120,000 animals across Sarawak had been vaccinated against the rabies, thus far.

Given the large area Sarawak covers, he said his department would continue its mass vaccination programme in order to contain the viral disease.