KUCHING: An ‘Ops Bersepadu Rabies’ will be carried out by the Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) on June 26-27.
It will be held in collaboration with the Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS) and the Department of Veterinary Sarawak (DVS).
MPP chairman Tan Kai said this operation will focus on rabies hotspot areas within a five -kilometre radius.
“Dog owners are advised to ensure their dogs are vaccinated, have permits from their local council, and kept within house-gated areas.
“As responsible dog owners, it is imperative that we follow the instructions from local authorities to maintain the health and safety of our pets. This includes ensuring dogs receive anti-rabies vaccinations.
“Dogs should not be allowed to roam freely without the supervision of their owners as this might cause nuisance to the public,” he said at the closing of a ‘Rabies Community Engagement Workshop’ programme at MPP.
The programme was attended by about 10 community leaders from the MPP area on Saturday (June 22)..
Besides MPP, the programme was supported by the Kuching Division Health Office (PKBK), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), and the Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA).
He added that MPP is committed to supporting the community in the fight against rabies, by getting community leaders to work closely with the council to reduce rabies cases.
“These initiatives include alerting the council whenever there are cases reported, conducting regular awareness campaigns to educate the public about the dangers of rabies and the importance of vaccination, and collaborating with the veterinary services to provide accessible rabies vaccination programmes for pets.
“They also include implementing measures to control the stray animal population, including humane trapping and vaccination or neutering programmes, ensuring that reported cases of animal bites are promptly investigated and appropriate measures are taken to prevent further accidents and to work closely with the health authorities,” he said.
Meanwhile, PKBK senior health officer Dr Johnny Pangkas said to curb and control the rabies outbreak in Sarawak, especially in Kuching, the One Health concept is very important and useful because it takes into account environmental, animal and human factors.
“By using the concept of One Health, we can find out the contributing factors to the spread of this rabies epidemic.
“We are aware that the prevention and control of the rabies outbreak requires close cooperation from various agencies including SSPCA.
“At the same time, we also need the cooperation of community leaders who play their part in ensuring that the environment is clean and free from stray animals,” he said.
Dr. Johnny reminded the public that since 2023, all health clinics in the Kuching division, except the Maternal and Child Health Clinic (KKIA), have been providing anti-rabies treatment and vaccines to victims of animal bites or scratches.
