Barabai, South Kalimantan (Antaranews Kalimantan) - The Central Hulu Sungai government seeks to control rabies by providing mass vaccinations to animals.
Head of Central Hulu Sungai (HST) Health Agency Kusudiarto here on Friday said rabies (hydrophobia) is a zoonotic disease in Indonesia because drugs and ways of treatment for sufferers has not been found yet. As a result almost all patients, both humans and animals, always end with fatal.
Until recently, he added, rabies infection spread in 24 provinces in Indonesia and only nine provinces are free of rabies.
To increase understanding of health personnel on rabies control and risk factors, the Health Agency regularly holds meetings of rabies disease control.
"We routinely collect health workers from community health centers (puskesmas), with speakers from South Kalimantan Health Agency, to discuss efforts to control the disease," he said.
According to Kusudiarto, South Kalimantan is one of the areas of contracting rabies. Prevention efforts continue to conduct by local authorities with the provision of VAR for each patient with HPR bites and mass vaccination to animals.
Assistant on Economy and Development of HST H Pandiansyah said, the advocacy is helpful for more attention to control of rabies, particularly in the HST.
HST dog population dominated by five sub-districts, namely East Batang Alai (BAT), South Batang Alai (BAS), Hantakan and Haruyan with the number recorded about 1,100, while wild dogs still difficult to be observed.
