The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that it will embark on a mass vaccination of dogs noting that humans are at risk of the rabies disease nationwide.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari disclosed this during a press conference on Tuesday, to commemorate World Rabies Day in Abuja with the theme: “All for 1-One Health for All”, also noted that Cross River, Plateau, Kano and Borno states have also been earmarked for community engagement activities for this years’ celebration World Rabies Day celebration.
Rabies occurrence is worldwide and it can kill 100 per cent of its unvaccinated victims but yet can be 100 per cent preventable using anti-rabies vaccine.
Kyari stated that the Federal Government has continued to procure anti-rabies vaccines for animal vaccination and doses of human pre and post-exposure vaccines for vaccination of humans exposed to rabies such as animal health workers, hunters and those exposed to rabies through the bite of infected animals.
Also, the Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammad Ali Pate, who was represented by the Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa, decried that rabies is one of the neglected tropical diseases which has a negative effect on the economic situation of the nation by adding another burden to health care delivery system in Nigeria.
The Minister noted that the virus is spread through the saliva of the infected animal by biting or scratching another animal or human being.
He, however, listed risk factors for rabies to include the trading of dogs, processing and eating dog meat, irresponsible dog ownership, and stray dogs, among others.
According to him, in rare cases, the virus can also be spread when infected saliva gets into an open wound or mucous membranes such as the mouth, and eyes among others.
“It is estimated that rabies is responsible for 59,000 agonising human deaths every year with most people living in poor, rural communities in Africa and Asia. One person dies of rabies around the world every nine minutes according to the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC). In humans the exact burden of rabies is not known because mapping is yet to be conducted”, the Minister said.
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Salako, said that stray dogs were the main sources of infection as they interact with one another, with an exposure window for transmission of the virus from an infected dog.
He called for concerted efforts by relevant agencies, stakeholders and the general public to ensure proper waste management in communities to ensure that stray animals and pets including dogs’ owners are identified, sensitised and registered.
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