DENPASAR,Bali (Bernama-Antara): The Bali government is accelerating the vaccination of dogs and cats to prevent the transmission of the rabies virus in the province, reported Indonesian News Agency (Antara).
"We must make Bali rabies-free," Bali's regional secretary Dewa Made Indra said during a dog and cat vaccination event in Denpasar on Sunday.
To achieve this, free vaccination events for rabies-prone animals, such as dogs and cats, are being intensified. This latest initiative was organised by the Indonesian Veterinary Association (PDHI) Bali.
Indra noted that about 30 per cent of the dog population in Bali has not been vaccinated, while the province aims to be rabies-free by 2030.
According to data from the Bali Agriculture and Food Security Service, the vaccination programme includes stray dogs. So far, vaccinations have reached approximately 426,000 dogs, or 70.53 per cent of the estimated 605,000 dog population.
"This means there are still 30 per cent of dogs we need to reach, but this figure is not fixed, as dogs and other animals continue to reproduce," he added.
He urged the public to remain vigilant about rabies and prevent their dogs and cats from roaming freely.
Indra advised anyone bitten by a dog to seek immediate treatment at a hospital or nearby health facility.
Meanwhile, chairman of PDHI Bali, I Dewa Made Anom, explained that the association is currently providing 300 doses of the rabies vaccine for both dogs and cats.
At present, PDHI Bali has 3,500 doses of the anti-rabies vaccine available, which the public can access through PDHI Bali.- Bernama-Antara
