Rabies Vaccination in Four Subdistricts in Sukabumi District

Center for Indonesian Veterinary Analytical Studies (CIVAS) in collaboration with the Livestock Services Office of Sukabumi district had conducted rabies vaccination in four subdistricts in Sukabumi district. The program was divided into two phases. The first phase was carried out from July 20th to 23rd, 2008, in Pelabuhan Ratu and Cisolok subdistricts, and the second phase was from July 26th to 29th, 2008, in Purabaya and Nyalindung subdistricts. This program involved private veterinarians and veterinary students, intern veterinary students, and faculty members from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bogor Agricultural University. This program was made because there are many dog bite cases in Sukabumi district. This year alone until June, there were 72 cases of dog bites in humans in Jampang Tengah, Jampang Kulon, Lengkong, Cidolong, Surade, Cimanggu, and Cikembar. There were also two cases of human death due to rabies in Cimanggu and Jampang Kulon.

Socialization of this program has been done since June 6th 2008 during a coordination meeting between the district leader of Sukabumi (the sukabumi Bupati) and 47 subdistrict leaders (Camat). Socialization was then followed up at subdistrict level at June 9th to 12th, 2008. Vaccination had been carried out by officers of the Livestock Services Office of Sukabumi district since the first case of rabies. The collaboration with CIVAS was only to support vaccination in four subdistricts which consists of 35 villages (8 villages in Pelabuhan Ratu, 10 villages in Cisolok, 7 villages in Purabaya, and 10 villages in Nyalindung). A week before the vaccination, coordination and socialization was once again done at subdistrict level. Animals targeted for vaccination were dogs, cats, and monkeys.
The total amount of animals successfully vaccinated through the program was 1401 dogs, 179 cats, and 17 monkeys. The number of dogs vaccinated was less that the existing population data, it was because stray and wild dogs have been previously eliminated by the government. In some areas, there are owners that refuse to vaccinate their dogs with the assumption that vaccinated dogs will become weak and could no longer be used for hunting. As response, a team consisting of CIVAS, the livestock services office, police and several public figures had given an explanation on the importance of rabies vaccination to such people. In the end some dog owners comply and vaccinate their dogs, but some still refuse it. For those who refuse to vaccinate their dogs, they were asked to make an official letter stating that they will hold responsibility if their dogs ever cause a rabid-biting case in that area.