Anti-rodent Control Campaign that launched on last Saturday, 24th August, 2013 had showed that public awareness on leptospirosis disease is increasing. According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), 2925 cases followed by 28 cases lead to death had announced recently. The amount of victims involves in this dangerous and acute disease keep climbing up to the serious level in our country.
Since the first case of leptospirosis in Malaysia was in 1927 that discovered by Fletcher, but until now we are still looking for its solution. Rodent species (rats) is the vector that carried virus Leptospira that can affect any organ system and can lead to multi-organ failure.
Previously, MOH had even enforced and closed down eateries shop that are failed to present their shop as hygienic and clean place to serve community. Every eateries or restaurants should have to continuously maintain the cleanliness to fulfill “clean” level due to several cases of outbreaks leptospirosis happened mainly at the food stalls.
The population of rodents rose every year especially in those areas with poor waste disposal management such as eateries shop, wet market and picnic hotspot. Waste Management companies such as Alam Flora, SWM Environment and E-Idaman should aware of the matter of cleanliness in the public areas by clear off the garbage in dumpsite on schedule. For those who failed to do that, city mayor should consider to terminate work contract with them.
However, civic-mindedness is also needed from the community to reduce the number and spread of leptospirosis cases. We must not keep expecting that authorities will clean up the mess for us and that is a totally wrong mindset that we need to take off immediately to avoid ourselves becoming the host of the disease, rats especially after recreational activities at waterfall and riverside areas.
It takes two hands to clap and we should move together to reduce and prohibit the rats population from increasing by keeping our surroundings clean. Act now!
Jesslyn Pek Yen Lee
Forum Air Malaysia