The Surveillance Officer in the Lakes State Ministry of Health, Gordon Mayen Kolnyin, has said that the State lacks anti-malaria drugs.

Speaking to Miraya FM, he confirmed that the Ministry of Health in the Government of Southern Sudan is aware of the problem.  Mr. Mayen said that since January 2008, 21,000 people have been infected by Malaria of which 17 have died.  

Meanwhile, the ministry is currently undertaking anti malaria awareness campaigns.

The Surveillance Officer in the Ministry of Health in the Lakes State, Gordon Mayen Kolinyin, confirmed that 48 people have been bitten by dogs and eight have died from its rabies infection.

The increased population of dogs in the Lakes State has become alarming forcing the State goverment to look for ways of controlling them.

Dogs are roaming in the Rumbek town lying in the streets, markets, abattiors and even dashing into the air-strip due to the lose fence of the Rumbek airport.

Gordon Mayuen said that cases of the dogs bites reported includes twelve in Yirol West, nine in Rumbek Central, and fourteen in Rumbek East.

Speaking to Miraya Mr. Mayen said that the State lacks rabies vaccines adding that the dogs in the State should shot despite the problems that mighat arise from their owners.

"All the dogs in the Lakes State are to be killed, but the other problem now, the owner who is having the dog-also there are some people will be having problem. When your dog did not bite somebody and somebody came and kill it there will be problem from the community," said Mayen.

Meranwhile, the Deputy Governor of the Lakes State, Awan Guol Riak, said that the State government will explore alternatives for controlling the dogs' movements in the State and their rapid increase in numbers in order to combat the health and security threats they pose.

"Controll the birth rate that is very terrible now, bceacuse the population of dogs is big and we want to see how we can controll also through other measues that are necessary to reduce the number," said Mr. Riak.