SRDC inks memorandum with Unimas on research on quick rabies diagnosis

KUCHING, July 4 (Bernama) – Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC) today inked a Memorandum of Agreement with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) to conduct research on quick diagnosis of rabies in Sarawak.

The three-year research project aims to develop an on-site laboratory diagnostic method that is suitable for use at the hospital and public health in control and prevention of human rabies in the state.

The SRDC is funding this project with a grant award of RM500,000, in line with the SRDC Ordinance, 2017, which mandates the council to support, direct, stimulate and facilitate research and development in Sarawak.

State Minister of Education, Science and Technology Research Datuk Seri Michael Manyin said hospital doctors are now dependent on the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) in Kuala Lumpur for laboratory confirmation of human rabies.

“This involves expensive and time-consuming transportation of samples, so with laboratory diagnostics on the site, it allows us to act quickly to prevent rabies and that laboratory diagnostic capacity on rabies infection can be established locally,” he said after a signing ceremony on the Memorandum of Agreement here today.

The lead scientist for the project, Prof Dr David Perera, said via the collaboration with Sarawak General Hospital, the genetic make-up of rabies viruses found in Sarawak would be investigated.

“The information can help guide public health physicians and veterinarians formulate and implement appropriate measures to control and eventually eradicate rabies virus,” he said.

-- BERNAMA