Rabies kills Maluku children

Rabies kills Maluku children

AMBON, Maluku: The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) expressed on Monday grave concern about a rabies epidemic in Maluku province, where 11 people have died from the animal-borne disease since 1999.

Unicef Ambon branch chief Willy Kumurur said children in Ambon had faced numerous threats since the outbreak of violent sectarian clashes in the Maluku archipelago in January 1999.

Among the health problems threatening children on the island was the spread of rabies, with 540 documented cases since January 19, 1999. The illness has killed at least 11, most of them children.

Kumurur noted that while Unicef was concentrating on helping the Ambon government with health and education programs, it had no expertise in carrying out anti-rabies campaigns, which are usually the responsibility of the World Health Organization. --DPA