KUCHING: The Rabies in Borneo (RIB) 2025: Uniting People, Animals and Communities conference is seen as a key platform to strengthen collaboration and chart the way forward towards eradicating rabies in Borneo by 2030.
Held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) on Tuesday (Sept 30) the latest edition of the conference is jointly organised by the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak (DVS) and Place Borneo Sdn Bhd
Chairman of UCSI Healthcare Group and former Health director-general Tan Sri Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, stressed that the conference serves as an avenue to unite experts, practitioners and stakeholders to exchange ideas and establish common guidelines for rabies prevention and control.
“The primary objective of RIB is to build a strong foundation for the Rabies Prevention, Control and Eradication Programme by 2030,” he said.
He stated that it is vital for the region to adopt a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
He added that the platform also enables international, regional and local participants to forge stronger collaboration and transfer of knowledge, which is crucial in strengthening collective efforts against rabies.
“The theme ‘Rabies-Free Borneo: Uniting People, Animals and Communities’ reflects the urgency and shared responsibility we must embrace in order to achieve our goal,” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham also urged participants to engage actively in discussions and forums throughout the conference, noting that innovative solutions and out-of-the-box thinking will be necessary to overcome the challenges ahead.
“Through this platform, we can showcase creative ideas, develop practical strategies and take decisive steps towards reducing rabies incidence across the region,” he said.
He added that past lessons, particularly from the COVID-19 pandemic, should be leveraged to build stronger and more resilient health systems in tackling zoonotic threats such as rabies.
“By working together, I am confident we can make what seems impossible today a rabies-free Borneo by 2030 possible,” he said.
Officiated by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, the conference will run until Wednesday (Oct 1) and will feature presentations, panel discussions and workshops involving both local and international experts.
Also present during the opening ceremony were Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, and DVS Director Datuk Dr Adrian Susin Ambud.
