Descriptive analysis of 5-dimensional rabies surveillance system, Regional Health 12, Songkhla, 2018

Abstract

              This study aimed to analyze rabies situation and find out the appropriate measures for rabies prevention and control in the Regional Health 12, Songkhla, Thailand. Methods; The surveillance data of rabies, from 2018-2019, in the Regional Health 12 were analyzed for the relationship between disease distribution and person, time and place. The data were classified into 5 dimensions which consisted of causes, risk factors behavior, illness, death, unusual event and response to the disease control program. 

              Results: In 2018, there were 4 people died from rabies and 174 rabies dogs. Additionally, there were 662 people exposing to rabies, 602 people receiving rabies vaccines, and also 60 people exposing to the disease but not receiving rabies vaccine. People still lacked knowledge about rabies such as thought that rabies can be cured, washing the wound with clean water or soap several times or using Povidone iodine solutions could not help reducing the amount of infection from wound. People, particularly in the risk areas, had less awareness of severity of rabies resulting in denying having treatment after exposing to the disease.

                From the significant reduction of animal immunity in 2015 together with the increasing a number of stray dogs may be resulting in more chances of finding infected rabies patients and deaths from rabies in the future. Form these reasons, the Department of Livestock Development, the Department of Local Administration and the Department of Disease Control have had cooperation actions for understanding and improving operation plans for rabies control leading to decrease a number of rabies in people.