S’wak Education Ministry directed to monitor rabies among students

IPOH: The Sarawak Education Department has been tasked to monitor rabies or mad dog disease among students in the state to curb the outbreak, said Deputy Education Minister Datuk P Kamalanathan.

He said the state department had also been directed to provide the latest information besides advising all school principals and headmasters on preventive and control measures that needed to be taken.

“The relevant parties must supervise the school surroundings because some portions of the school compound are not gated, especially those in the interior areas.

“However I feel this is the responsibility of all parties and the school management should make appropriate reports to the Veterinary Department if there is any risk to the students,” he said.

He told reporters this after the handing over ceremony for the building extension of Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT) Taman Desa Pinji near Lahat yesterday.

On Saturday, Health directorgeneral Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said three children, including two siblings, aged four, six and seven, in Serian district, Sarawak were infected by rabies, which was notified by the Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching on June 22.

Dr Noor Hisham said further investigation found that two of the victims had a history of being bitten by a dog about a month or two before manifestation of the symptoms while it could not be ascertained whether the third victim was ever bitten by a dog.

On the school building, Kamalanathan said the ministry had allocated RM2.12 million for the construction of the new block which is equipped with nine classrooms.

He said the school also received a special allocation of RM150,000 for upgrading and maintenance work. - Bernama