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Bali Signs 9 Billion Rupiah Rabies Control Program
Denpasar - The Provincial Government of Bali has signed a collaboration with NGO Bali Animal Welfare on rabies vaccination and euthanasia in dogs to reduce the spread of rabies on the island. The collaboration is estimated to worth 1 million US dollar or 9 billion rupiahs.
The funds will be used to prepare trained technicians for the first six month of 3 years’ program and provide 370,000 doses of rabies vaccine.
The agreement was signed by Bali Governor, Made Mangku Pastika, and Direcotor of Bali Animal Welfare (BAWA), Melly Wibisono, and all districts/municipality. Attending the ceremony were the leaders (Bupati) of Badung district - AA Gede Agung, Tabanan district - Ni Putu Eka Wirastuti, Karangasem district - Wayan Geredeg, Bangli district - Made Gianyar, and other regions. Jembrana district was represented by its Vice Bupati, Putu Ada.
Pastika welcomed the collaboration as rabies in Bali has claimed 93 human lives since 2008. “We welcome all parties willing to help the Livestock Service Office of Bali because rabies is not easy to handle. We have spent 25 million rupiahs since 2008,” said Pastika after the signing ceremony in the Governor’s office.
He added that this collaboration will help Bali achieve freedom from rabies in 2012. For the last two years, the Livestock Service Office of Bali has eliminated at least 100,000 feral dogs and vaccinated 250,000 dogs.
Melly Wibisono explained that this aid is also a form of participation from the World Society for the Protection of Animal (WSPA) in London, England. This aid will help mass vaccination programs in the whole of Bali starting October 2010.
Before, Melly said, the organization has conducted mass vaccination in Gianyar and Bangli.
Based on data from the Health Service Office of Bali, in 2008 there were 50,000 dog bite cases or 135 cases per day. In 2009 there were 24,000 cases. This year from January until August there have been 41,172 bite cases or an average of 165 cases per day.
Reemerged in West Java
In West Java, rabies cases reemerged in 2009 after being absent for 5 years.
Head of the Environmental Health and Disease Transmission Division of the Health Service Office of West Java, Fita Rosemary, in Bandung on Tuesday (21/9) said that based on data from the Health Service Office of West Java in 2009 there were 388 bite cases. Two people were confirmed with rabies after being bitten by dogs.
In 2010 there were 228 bite cases with one human fatality. But Fita said that one victim who died in 2010 in Sumedang was bitten by a dog in Gunungsitoli, North Sumatera.
Fita said the geographical condition of several regions contribute to the emergence of rabies. Two regions in West Java with the most bite case are Sukabumi and Garut district - both areas are dominated by forests.
Rabid dogs could go into the forest after biting. This is challenging for the monitoring of rabies host animals. Without control and vaccination against rabies, transmission could easily happen.
In anticipation to this, the Health Service Office of West Java has notified its officers to be more vigilant in monitoring. Rabies centers have been established in community health centers in high risk areas. (AYS/CHE)
Source : Kompas