KUCHING: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) in collaboration with Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC) will develop a new diagnostic kit for rabies.
The university and SRDC inked a memorandum of agreement on the project yesterday. Under the MoA, the council will fund the project with a grant of RM500,000.
The research project will take two years to complete, and it is the first project to receive a grant
from SRDC since its formation
last year.
The project aims to provide solutions and insight into two key challenges in relation to the control and prevention of human rabies in Sarawak.
“Firstly, there is a distinct lack of on-site laboratory testing capacity in human rabies in major public hospitals in the state, which has hindered the clinical care of suspected cases,” explained Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong at the MoA signing ceremony.
He added that there was uncertainty in the origin of the rabies viruses that surfaced across Sarawak since 1 July 2017, hence this project would address this by investigating their genetic make-up.
“Previously, samples were sent to Institute for Medical Research in Kuala Lumpur and Veterinary Research Institute in Ipoh for confirmation, which took a lot of time and money,” said Manyin.
According to Prof Dr David Perera, the research project lead scientist from the Institute of Health and Community Medicine (IHCM) at Unimas, rabies test kits do exist in the market. However, they may not be sensitive enough to be applied specifically in Sarawak as the rabies viruses vary from place to place.
“With this research, a more accurate and sensitive diagnostic kit can be developed for use. It would also allow mass screening and rapid results,” he added.
Prof Dr David was also confident that the new test kit would aid the relevant authorities in their decision-making process with regards to the control of rabies in the state.
Also involved in the research project are consultant paediatrician at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) Dr Ooi Mong How and Dr Chua Hock Hin from the Infectious Disease Unit at SGH.
“SRDC aims to collaborate with the state’s research institutes, which prior to the establishment of the council were doing their work solo and not in coordination,” said Manyin.
He assured that SRDC would help research institutes through funding and also in commercialising products of research which show promising results.
“The outcome of this research project will be beneficial locally and possibly even internationally,” said Unimas deputy vice-chancellor (research and innovation) Prof Dr Wan Hashim Wan Ibrahim.
