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KUCHING, June 8: Sarawak Health Department says there was no issue regarding the shortage of medical personnel that resulted in the denial of a rabies vaccination for a dog bite victim.
Sarawak Health director Dr Ooi Choo Huck explained that the elderly woman, who was bitten by her own dog and sought treatment at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) on June 3, was not immediately given rabies vaccination as medical assessment had classified the case to be “low risk”.
He was referring to the incident where the 78-year-old woman was allegedly denied rabies vaccination and instructed to return three days later.
“She was treated in the Green Zone of the Emergency and Trauma Deparment by a medical officer who had conducted a risk assessment which confirmed that she was at low risk based on the information that she was bitten by her pet dog, which stays within the compound of the house and did not display any rabies symptoms.
“The management of this dog bite case was consistent with the Sarawak Health Department Dog/Animal Bite Management Guideline, GAKNS-4/2023,” he explained in a statement today.
Furthermore, Dr Ooi pointed out that the patient was also referred to the Dog Bite Clinic for a follow-up appointment on June 6 to undergo further evaluation.
“This patient has been given proper attention and treatment throughout her time at the Emergency Department and the alleged issue of insufficient medical personnel did not arise,” he added.
Dr Ooi assured the public that the Sarawak Health Department is always prepared to provide assistance and ensure the delivery of the best services to the people.
The incident was initially brought to the public’s attention by Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) chief Milton Foo. It was reported that the elderly woman’s family member took her to a private hospital for rabies vaccination out of fear that the dog bite could pose a threat to her life. — DayakDaily
