Dispertan Provides 2,000 Rabies Vaccines, Targets Piaran And Wild Animals In Cilacap

The boy plays with his dog who has been vaccinated against rabies. (Pexels-Nice Guys)

JAKARTA - The Department of Agriculture (Dispertan) of Cilacap Regency provides 2,000 doses of rabies vaccine for mass vaccination activities in the context of World Rabies Day 2024 which is celebrated every September 28. "The rabies vaccine comes from the Central Java Provincial Government and the Cilacap Regency Regional Budget, each with 1,000 doses," said Head of the Cilacap Regency Dispertan Susilan in Cilacap, Thursday, August 22, as reported by Antara. According to him, the rabies vaccination trial has been carried out for free at the Cilacap Animal Health Center (Puskeswan). In this case, he said, this activity targets 2,000 pet and wild animals that fall into the category of rabies transmission such as dogs, cats, and monkeys. "This vaccination activity is an effort to prevent the transmission of rabies disease to humans," he said. According to him, there are several requirements for animals for dogs, cats, and apes that can be vaccinated, namely in good health and a minimum age of four months. Especially for female animals, he said, they must be in an unintended and lactating condition. In addition, he continued, the pet was given worm medicine at least one week and a maximum of three months before the vaccine. He hopes that with the mass vaccination, there will be no cases of rabies transmission in Cilacap.

He further said that based on a survey conducted by the government every year, the Central Java region, including Cilacap, since 1997 until now, is still free from rabies. However, he said, efforts to anticipate rabies transmission must still be carried out, one of which is through the administration of the vaccination. According to him, this is due to the potential for vulnerability to the spread of rabies in Cilacap because the area is directly adjacent to West Java. "Therefore, we are aware of the entry of pet from outside the region, especially areas that are not free from rabies," he said.