Bali News

It is not merely the Anti Rabies Vaccine – Vaksin Anti Rabies (VAR) – for dog bite’s victim which is being trade in Buleleng. Vaccine for dog that should have been free also been trade. That’s why Bali Council threatened them to report this case to the police.

Before the rising issue of Anti Rabies Vaccine for dog been trade, there is a case where one victim who get bite by a dog is forced to buy anti rabies vaccine for Rp 188. 000 in Buleleng Regional Hospital. They were two boys from Seririt and Penarungan village, Buleleng District.

Recent news got by NusaBali in Singaraja on Wednesday November 18th, vaccine for dog is sold for Rp 3.000 for every dog’s owner who their dog vaccinated. Whereas those vaccines were distributed for free to all regencies in Bali.

This vaccine retailing happened in Kaliuntu of Buleleng district. One of Kaliuntu local citizen when brought his dog to the village hall to be vaccinated, he then been asked to pay for Rp 3.000. “That fee is legal, this is the authorize letter from the hall,” he said.

In the letter under Kaliuntu village’s head signature, Ni Ketut Artani mentioned that dog vaccination had been held on November 13th at the village hall. This vaccination is in order to stop the widespread of rabies epidemic, so for those who have dog is expected to come. In that letter also mentioned about Rp 3.000 fee. Whereas, there was no vaccination for wild dog, it will be eliminated.

Head of Buleleng Farming Institution, Putu Ardika, when confirmed that problem yesterday denied there is anti rabies vaccine trade for dog. The expense taken from Kaliuntu village, said Ardika, merely for consumption necessity while vaccination activity held.

“There was no vaccine sold, but that charge was for snack for the officer that was the volunteers for this event,” he said while accompanied with the head of Buleleng Farming Animal Health Institution, Wayan Tjarik.
Ardika said, while the vaccination implementation in Buleleng, his party keep warned their officer in each district not to take any charge. But, if there is village or district officer who take any charge for their own consumption, it was no problem since that problem was local people’s burden.

Though, Ardika will keep take action against those who taking charge for dog vaccination in Kaliuntu. If there is any evidences that the officer from farming institution who received any vaccination fee, they will receive hard warning.

One day before, rabies patient who have treatment in Buleleng Hospital they in fact should bought Rp 188.000 for the anti rabies vaccine that should have be free. They are one boy from Seririt and one little girl from Panarungan village, Buleleng District.

When the two patients received the injection, the hospital suggested them to buy it. “The official in the hospital said that they run out of vaccine. We were asked to buy it at pharmacy. Whether, the government said that the vaccine is distributed for free,” said one of the parents from the eight years old boy from Seririt on Tuesday November 17th. He mentioned, when his child and another patient form Penarungan undergone second phase of vaccination they had to buy the vaccine for about Rp 180.000. “We bought it at Giri Putri Pharmacy in the hospital,” he said while showed the proof of purchase.

When confirmed, the main director of Buleleng Hospital, Nyoman Mardana pretense that his party was run out of those free vaccine, makes he gave purchasing vaccine for those patients. His party faces some difficulty in attaining anti rabies vaccine allocation from Bali Provincial Health Department.

Confirmed by NusaBali in Denpasar on last Wednesday, the head of Bali Provincial Health Department, dr Nyoman Sutedja justified that there were anti rabies vaccine trading conducted by Buleleng Hospital. According to Sutedja, Buleleng Hospital was indeed run out of vaccine several days ago. That’s why patients who got bite by the dog suggested to take medicine in Sanglah Hospital, Denpasar. But, they were refused to go to Sanglah since it is too far from Denpasar.

Finally, Buleleng Hospital gave second alternative that was bought the vaccine at hospital pharmacy for about Rp 188.000. Sutedja said that Buleleng Hospital had against the rule that’s why they should give back the money to the patients.

Sutedja estimated that there were lot of people who had to buy the anti rabies vaccine at the pharmacy. “I justified here that anti rabies vaccine for the victims is absolutely free. That vaccine is not for trading,” explained by Sutedja as well as asked for Buleleng Hospital to take the vaccine straightly in Provincial Health Department Office in Denpasar.

Head of Public Relation Firm and Protocol of Bali Provincial of Regional Secretariat, I Putu Suardhika, also said that the governor, Mangku Pastika must be shocked when he heard about this anti rabies vaccine in Buleleng. The governor then straightly ordered the head of Provincial Health Department to check this case.

From the investigation, that there was indeed that hospital run out of vaccine. That’s why Health Department followed governor’s instruction and ask for the hospital party take the vaccines in Denpasar.

Meanwhile, this vaccine trading in Buleleng received criticism from Bali council. As far as they want to report this case to the police. Since that anti rabies vaccine should be free to get.
“If there is any evidence for vaccine trading, then we would report it to the police,” as threatened by the vice chief of commission IV in Denpasar on last Wednesday.

Member of PDIP DPRD Bali fraction form Buleleng also forced the head of Provincial Health Department to take firm action against Buleleng Hospital officers who had sold those vaccines. “Health Department should call Buleleng Hospital since I smell something bad about it,” asked Kariyasa.

DPRD Bali suspected that there was vaccine trading in Bali, because nowadays that vaccine is extremely needed by people in this island since KLB Rabies has been set. “We suspected that there are hospitals who cooperate with side parties related to this vaccine trading,” said Kariyasa.

News by NusaBali