KUCHING: A government backbencher has called on the state to increase veterinary positions from 290 to 1,000 in efforts to control diseases, regulatory tasks and livestock industry development.
Dr Simon Sinang Bada (GPS-Tebedu) said since 2017 rabies had claimed the lives of 46 people out of 52 rabies victims while in 2022 alone, eight lives were lost from 12 cases reported.
“Rabies can be controlled if 70 per cent of the dog population in Sarawak is vaccinated against rabies,” he said in support of the Veterinary Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2022 at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting yesterday (Nov 23).
He also said that the Sarawak State Health Department (JKNS) is very important in integrated bite case management where animal bite cases are reported.
“With IBET’s presence, we can ensure that action is taken immediately for every bite case and to prevent this disease from claiming more lives in Sarawak.
“Until 2017, the authorities declared the outbreak as a Level Two Disaster as stipulated in the National Security Council Directive No 20 (MKN 20) which obliges all government agencies to use resources in an integrated manner to contain the spread,” he said.
Meanwhile Lo Khere Chiang (GPS-Batu Kitang) seconded the Veterinary Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2022 which will give legal authority and empowerment to any person especially Sarawak Security and Enforcement Unit (UKPS) officers in performing their tasks and responsibilities of dispensing veterinary drugs.
He said in 2019, the Immune Belt Enforcement Team (IBET) under UKPS was established as a new initiative to curb rabies spread and a total ban on the movement of dogs both in and out of Sarawak along its border with Kalimantan was imposed to curb the spread of the virus.
“In order to enhance the state security, its roles and functions were further expanded which led to the formation of IBET mainly to provide assistance to Veterinary Department along the border to take charge of rabies control under UKPS.
“IBET has been duly appointed and authorised in writing by the State Veterinary Authority to enforce and conduct dispensing of veterinary drugs, vaccination of dogs and surveillance and monitoring of dogs,” he said in support of the Veterinary Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2022.
In addition, IBET will at any time and circumstances conduct and perform their task and responsibilities on rabies and other infectious disease control.
IBET officers will maximise coverage of rabies detection and surveillance programme along the 1,032-km border in a well-organised manner under UKPS.
