KOMPAS/SAMUEL OKTORA
Animal health officers from the Sikka Regency Agriculture Service (right) prepare to inject anti-rabies vaccines into dogs in Watugong Village, Alok Timur District, Sikka, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, early September 2018.
Actually, I don’t follow the development of rabies. However, next month I will be assigned an office to live in a city in East Nusa Tenggara. I read in the media that NTT is one of the areas with a high incidence of rabies. I am very worried because I will be spending several years with my family, including two children aged 5 and 7 years.
We have lived in Jakarta for a long time and as far as I know, Jakarta is already a rabies-free area. We all certainly hope that all areas of Indonesia can be free of rabies.
What causes an area with a high incidence of rabies? What about government regulations to reduce or even eliminate rabies from Indonesia? We’ve been polio free. Is it possible that in the not too distant future we will also be free of rabies?
The impact of rabies is not only health, but can also reduce the interest of tourists who will visit.
Is it true that if you already suffer from rabies, the victim’s life will not be saved? How many people die each year from rabies in Indonesia? I want to know how to protect my family from the risk of rabies.
As far as I know, rabies is transmitted through the bite of a dog with rabies. Do dogs suffering from rabies have certain symptoms? Is there an obligation for dog owners to tie their dogs or cover their dog’s mouth so it doesn’t bite other people?
Why are there still so many dogs roaming around in the village and in the city? Who supervises the dogs, especially at a time when the incidence of rabies is increasing?
Can the doctor explain how to do first aid for a person bitten by an animal suspected of carrying rabies germs? Is there anything that can be done as first aid or does it have to be taken to the puskesmas immediately? Is every puskesmas capable of handling rabies, including giving rabies vaccine?
Also read: Rabies Deaths Increase, Vaccine Availability Needs to Be Ensured
Is it mandatory for dog owners to get their dogs vaccinated against rabies? Can the vaccine be injected by a vet? Is there a rabies vaccine for prevention or is it only for people who have experienced dog bites? Sorry I’m asking a lot of questions because I want to get complete information about rabies. Thank You.
M in J
The government once announced that Indonesia would be free of rabies by 2030. For this reason, all parties must work hard to realize this achievement. In 2022 the number of bites by rabies-carrying animals (GHPR) will increase quite sharply in several provinces.
Most provinces in Indonesia are still endemic for rabies, only a few are free of rabies, including Riau, Bangka Belitung, DKI Jakarta, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, Papua and West Papua. Meanwhile, deaths from rabies are still high in North Sulawesi, West Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara and North Sumatra.
Control efforts include control of rabies-carrying animals (HPR) and prevention of rabies transmission in the community. Efforts on HPR include surveillance (monitoring) of rabies vaccination at high HPR (70 percent), controlling the HPR population, controlling HPR traffic, and issuing various regulations. The efforts to prevent transmission in the community include health promotion, rabies surveillance, rabies vaccination for prevention of at-risk populations (those whose work is in close contact with HPR), GHPR management, and management of rabies cases.
Death from rabies is preventable
Until now there is no cure for rabies. Rabies cases that have shown symptoms usually cannot be helped. However, if proper measures are taken after a GPHR event, death due to rabies can be prevented.
Read also: “One Health” Approach in Handling Health Problems
People still don’t care about rabies. Therefore, counseling about the dangers and efforts to prevent rabies must continue to be encouraged. The impact of rabies is not only health, but can also reduce the interest of tourists who will visit.
How can we prevent our family members from being exposed to rabies? Rabies carrier animal bites annually reach 100,000-120,000 events. Children are a vulnerable group to experience GHPR. The lack of public understanding causes the management of these bites to be not carried out properly so that people who are bitten can die from rabies.
First aid for GHPR is washing the bite wound with running water and soap for 15 minutes. After that, the bite victim is sent to the local health service. At the health service, repeat wound washing and bite risk assessment will be carried out. If the risk is mild, the patient will receive a rabies vaccination. However, if the risk is high, in addition to rabies vaccination, you also need to be given anti-rabies serum.
Until now the government has tried to increase the number of rabies services, but not all health services can provide rabies vaccine services, let alone anti-rabies serum. However, first aid in the form of washing wounds should be done at the nearest health service. In fact, it can even be done by ordinary people outside of health services.
The government has so far provided the rabies vaccine free of charge. Also anti-rabies serum which is very expensive is provided free of charge by the government. In the 2016-2020 period, deaths in provinces with high rabies cases ranged from 40-76 people.
Also read: Rabies Threat
The increase in GHPR cases and the increase in rabies cases in 2022 should be a warning to all of us to increase efforts to control rabies again. Rabies control is not only the task of the Ministry of Health, but many other related ministries, besides of course the participation of the community is very much needed.
KOMPAS/COKORDA YUDISTIRA
An adoption event for abandoned animals, especially dogs and cats, at a pet shop in Denpasar City, Sunday (9/7/2023), attracted residents’ interest. Keeping dogs or other animals is still in demand even though Bali is not yet free from rabies.
People who have dogs as pets need to take good care of their pets. The animal needs to be vaccinated against rabies. Prevent the possibility of the dog biting people, especially children.
In the event of a dog bite, we must all remember that rabies still threatens us. Therefore, the guidelines for the management of GHPR need to be understood and properly implemented.
KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO
Dr. Samsuridjal Djauzi
Samsuridjal Djauzi, Doctor of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital
2023-07-21 23:13:31
#Indonesia #Rabies #Free
