Sarawak seeks Western partnership to combat zoonotic, tropical diseases
"My recent visit to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, USA, is aimed at fostering technical cooperation and specialist training.
'We require their expertise and collaborative networks. What we need is knowledge transfer and expert support so we can build and train our local capacity,' said Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian at the opening of the Second Asia-Pacific Conference on Zoonotic and Neglected Tropical Diseases on Thursday (July 10).
The two-day conference gathered health specialists from around the world to create a plan for tackling growing global health issues related to public health, diseases, and climate change.
In his speech, Dr Sim said rising global temperatures have contributed to the spread of diseases such as dengue, malaria, and various zoonotic infections into even regions previously unaffected, including developed countries.
"Zoonotic and tropical diseases are not distant threats — they are already here, and they are here to stay. We must all work together: government, healthcare professionals, researchers, and the public. Only then can we manage and eventually eliminate these health threats," he said.
Dr Sim also said that pet vaccination rates in urban areas remain worryingly low.
'If we fail to reach an annual 80% vaccination rate among dogs, rabies will persist,' he cautioned.
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