By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 10: Sarawak is stepping up its preparedness to combat zoonotic and tropical diseases through the establishment of the Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre (SIDC), Malaysia’s first of its kind, and strategic collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, USA.
According to a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) news report, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said the emergence of zoonoses, infectious diseases transmitted from animals to humans such as HIV, Covid-19, and locally, monkey malaria, underscores the need for urgent and sustained action.
“The threat is real. In Sarawak, we’ve already seen the danger of monkey malaria. This is why we’ve invested over RM200 million in the SIDC as part of long-term preparation to face any future outbreak,” he said.
Speaking at the opening of the 2nd Asia-Pacific Conference on Zoonotic and Neglected Tropical Diseases 2025 in Sibu today, Dr Sim added that global warming has amplified the risk of tropical diseases spreading to new regions, necessitating stronger international partnerships and knowledge exchange.
To boost Sarawak’s technical capacity, the collaboration with CDC Atlanta will help train local talents and improve laboratory systems to detect and manage outbreaks more effectively.
“This partnership ensures our people are equipped with the right skills, and our labs operate at a higher standard to respond swiftly to any health threats,” he said.
On the threat of rabies, Dr Sim called on pet owners to act responsibly by ensuring their animals are vaccinated, stressing that urban areas continue to record low vaccination rates despite high awareness.
“While vaccination in border areas has reached 80 per cent, many in towns still take it lightly. Rabies can be eradicated, but it takes a whole-of-society effort,” he emphasised.
The biennial conference serves as a platform to enhance regional cooperation and preparedness in addressing zoonotic and neglected tropical diseases amid a changing climate. — DayakDaily
