KUCHING: Sarawak’s Immune Belt Enforcement Team (IBET) has vaccinated 89 per cent of dogs in their assigned areas to curb rabies in the state.
Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom lauded IBET for its effort in vaccinating dogs from Lundu to Lawas, covering a distance of more than 1,002 km.
“IBET had set a target to vaccinate 40,000 dogs this year, and they have already vaccinated 36,900 dogs.
“So, that is why we can see that there are no more rabies within the immune belt area after June this year,” he told a press conference after officiating at the Rabies in Borneo (RIB) 2023 conference at Imperial Hotel here yesterday.
Rundi also said IBET was set up to ensure movement of dogs are controlled and prevent transboundary transmission of rabies.
“Once this (vaccination of dogs) is done, the next step is to monitor and control the dogs, including ensuring pets are licensed,” he said, adding that there is also a need for a continuous awareness programme on rabies and make sure people understand the seriousness of rabies and how it is preventable.
“The anti-rabies vaccination is free from the government. There must be an understanding that once we give the vaccination and it can last for two to three years at least, then we can also repeat the (vaccination process) after that.
“Since the government is all out supporting this programme, there is no reason for us not to be able to achieve the zero rabies target by the year 2025,” he said.
Rundi also said next thing to do is to look into how to be more effective in curbing rabies in the suburban and urban area.
“As such, we require the assistance of the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak (DVSS), local councils and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including the community, to work together in curbing rabies,” he said.
He said it is also important to have sharing of data and information on rabies to better understand and identify rabies critical areas.
“Our target is to have zero rabies by 2025. It is not something easy to do, unless we do it together,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Security and Enforcement Unit (UKPS) director Datuk Dr Chai Khin Chung said IBET will soon reach its target of vaccinating 90 per cent of the dogs within the immune belt area along the borders.
“There are some dogs that we have yet to vaccinate as they are stray dogs and when we arrive at the location they will run away,” he said.
Meanwhile, IBET, established in 2022, is supervised by UPKS which is under the Sarawak Premier’s Office.
It has a membership of 108 people who are assigned to monitor 978 villages, farms and control posts throughout Sarawak and its border areas.
The team is also provided with sophisticated vehicles and equipment to enable them to carry out their duties in remote locations.
Their main tasks are mainly on targeted removal, surveillance of dog movements, vaccinating dogs, collecting dog demographic data, establishing good relations with residents and educating the general public as first responders in the control of rabies.
