RABIES CONTROL IN UNGASAN VILLAGE, 2008-2025: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Rabies is a zoonotic disease that continues to pose a significant public health challenge in Indonesia, including Bali since its emergence in 2008. While most previous studies have focused on the epidemiology and control of rabies, historical studies examining rabies control remain relatively limited. This study aims to analyze rabies control in Ungasan Village during the period 2008-2025 from a historical perspective. The research employed health history and oral history approaches using the historical method, which consists of heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography. Data were collected through archival research, document analysis, literature review, and interviews with informants involved in rabies control efforts in Ungasan Village. The findings indicate that the spread of rabies was influenced by biological factors, the socio-cultural practice of dog ownership, and institutional limitations during the early stage of the outbreak. Rabies control strategies gradually evolved from dog culling to preventive approaches through mass vaccination, public education, sterilization, and the establishment of dog shelters involving government agencies, customary villages, non-governmental organizations, and local communities. The study concludes that rabies control was shaped not only by the biological characteristics of the virus but also by broader social and institutional conditions, including healthcare accessibility and institutional capacity. Therefore, strengthening the healthcare system, promoting sustained behavioral change, and fostering long-term collaboration among relevant stakeholders are recommended to support more effective and sustainable rabies control.