World Rabies Day 2020 A drama performance for elementary school students in West Kalimantan
Jakarta, 24 September 2020 - Directorate General of Veterinary Public Health, Directorate General of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, FAO ECTAD, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with the West Kalimantan Provincial Government held a rabies campaign for 1300 elementary students in West Kalimantan and others provinces. The rabies campaign is packaged in the form of a virtual drama performance that conveys information about the dangers of rabies, prevention of dog and cat bites in children, and how to properly take care of pets – one of which is by routine vaccination.
West Kalimantan is one of the rabies endemic areas in Indonesia. According to the explanation from the Deputy Governor of West Kalimantan, Drs. H. Ria Norsan, MM, MH, in his speech at the drama performance event, West Kalimantan in 2014 was declared a rabies-free area. However, at the end of 2014 it was again declared a rabies outbreak area after the discovery of a rabies-positive dog bite case in Ketapang District, Melawi District, and it continued to spread to all districts / cities in West Kalimantan except Pontianak City.
"The highest case occurred in 2018 with the number of victims who died as many as 25 people from 3,873 bite cases. In 2019, there were 14 victims out of 4,398 bites. "In 2020, it was marked until September 21 that 2 of the 1,398 bite cases died," he said.
In his opening, the Director General of Livestock and Animal Health Services Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Ir. Nasrullah, M.Sc said that information, education, and communication (IEC) activities about rabies, especially for elementary school children in endemic areas, are very important.
“Considering most of the number of rabies cases are children under 15 years old, the drama performance will be valuable for them to learn more about rabies threats in their pets. Although the disease is deadly, rabies in humans is 100% preventable. Vaccination of dogs and cats against rabies is the best way to prevent transmission of rabies from animals to humans. By vaccinating at least 70% of the dog population, we can prevent transmission of rabies from animals to humans,” said Nasrullah.
Team Leader a.i FAO ECTAD, Luuk Schoonman, added that this activity can build a good approach to remind their surrounding communities to take care of animal health to avoid rabies.
“Children can become agents of change in reminding their parents, siblings and playmates in their neighborhood. With methods of conveying messages that are close to the world of children, such as singing and performing dramas, it is hoped that children can understand more about the dangers of rabies and prevention in case of rabies bites,” said Luuk.
USAID Indonesia Acting Health Director Pamela Foster said, “This year more than ever, we can see the evidence that infectious diseases like rabies do not respect borders and pose serious threats to individuals, countries, and the world. The United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development, has partnered with Indonesia for over ten years as part of our shared commitment to the Global Health Security Agenda, to control and prevent infectious diseases. Our commemoration of World Rabies Day this year underscores the critical role that young people can play to help overcome these challenges and keep themselves safe.”
About World Rabies Day 2020
World Rabies Day is commemorated every September 28. The Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services of the Ministry of Agriculture – FAO ECTAD – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) held a series of collaborative activities with the Ministry of Health, WHO, West Kalimantan Provincial Government, West Kalimantan Education Services, and West Kalimantan Food, Livestock and Animal Health Services.
A series of World Rabies Day activities conducted virtually with the theme “My Pets and I Are Rabies-Free”. Activities consist of photo and video competitions on social media, drama performance for children, press conference to the media, and webinar on the peak of World Rabies Day 2020. The entire series of activities are focused on increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of rabies eradication in Indonesia.