GHA-OHCC IPB University Organizes Institutional Visit to Kasira Jampang Tengah, Sukabumi
Global Health Agromaritime-One Health Collaborating Center (GHA-OHCC) IPB University held an institutional visit to the Rabies Alert Cadre (Kasira) institution in Jampang Tengah District, Sukabumi Regency, West Java. This activity was intended for IPB’s One Health Student Club (OHSC) batch I students to understand the concept and application of one health.
Dr veterinarian Supriyono, Coordinator of the Education and Training Division of GHA-OHCC IPB University said, “Through this institutional visit, we hope that OHSC IPB batch I students can learn directly and implement the application of the one health concept in the field through Kasira.”
Furthermore, veterinarian Asep Kurnadi, Head of the Livestock Service Office of Sukabumi District, explained the background of Kasira’s establishment. “Kasira was formed and can exist today because of a sense of ownership and responsibility from the community so that rabies cases in Sukabumi can be controlled to zero cases,” he explained.
Materials on the introduction, implementation, and development of Kasira were delivered by Dr veterinarian Yusuf Ridwan and Dr veterinarian Asep Kurnadi. Dr Yusuf explained rabies is a disease that has become a global issue because it causes up to 100 percent mortality.
“Of course, in handling rabies, the role of various sectors is needed, including the community itself,” added the man who is a lecturer at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (SKHB) IPB University as well as a representative member of the Kasira project.
He said Kasira was initially a program initiated by SKHB IPB University to eradicate rabies cases in Sukabumi that had claimed at least one life. Therefore, Kasira was formed with the aim of directly involving the community in controlling cases of a disease, one of which is Rabies.
“Of course, in its implementation, communication, information, and education to the community is needed to achieve the objectives and methods to be used in controlling rabies in the field, both against rabies transmitting animals (HPR) and humans as victims,” said Dr veterinarian Asep Kurnadi.
He added, “Kasira is a concrete form of one health implementation. It does not only involve the livestock service office, but also many sectors such as the health service, community health centers, Animal Health Center (puskeswan), Integrated Services Post (Posyandu) cadres, village officials, and hunters.”
“This activity is expected to create a sense of ownership and responsibility from IPB University students towards rabies in Indonesia. We are very open to creative ideas from students for the advancement of Kasira in the future,” he said. (*/Rz) (IAAS/SHY)
