Japanese Vet Will Fight Rabies

A Japanese veterinarian will open a clinic in Cambodia in February to support the country’s anti-rabies measures.

46-year-old Haruo Kikuta from Gunma Prefecture will open the clinic in Phnom Penh after obtaining permission from the Cambodian government. He will be the first foreign veterinarian to do so.

Kikuta says an increasing number of Cambodian people are keeping pets as the country’s economy develops. But, he says, Cambodia is short of vets and lags behind in anti-rabies measures.

He says he will work to prevent rabies and carry out a campaign to raise awareness of the disease while treating the animals he sees.

Kikuta is calling for cooperation from other veterinarians in Japan. He says he hopes Japanese techniques will help eradicate rabies in Cambodia. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181231_08/