- The federal government urged Nigerians to vaccinate their dogs against rabies, announcing a nationwide vaccination campaign starting September 28
- Nigeria’s Chief Veterinary Officer emphasized the importance of public awareness and responsible dog ownership to combat rabies effectively
The federal government has called on Nigerians to vaccinate their dogs to protect them and others from rabies. Nigeria’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Ositi Bakuru, appealed on Saturday in Abuja during an awareness walk to commemorate World Rabies Day 2024, with the theme “Breaking Rabies Boundaries.”
Represented by Samuel Anzaku, Director of Veterinary Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Bakuru emphasized the importance of public awareness about rabies and the need for preventative measures.
He also urged the public to report any rabies cases to veterinary authorities.
Bakuru announced that the federal government would soon launch a nationwide mass vaccination campaign for dogs to reduce rabies cases in the country. This aligns with the global goal of eliminating rabies as a public health threat by 2030.
The ministry has worked with partners like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and Breakthrough Action Nigeria for the past two years to develop a national strategic plan to eliminate rabies. The plan includes mass vaccinations of dogs and cats across Nigeria.
A nationwide dog vaccination campaign will commence on September 28th, along with other activities to increase public awareness.
Bakuru stressed the importance of responsible dog ownership, which includes registering dogs, vaccinating them, and keeping vaccination records.
He highlighted the seriousness of rabies in Nigeria, noting that human deaths have been reported in states such as Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, and Cross River. He warned that once rabies symptoms appear in humans, death is almost certain.
Dr. Jide Idris, Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), represented by Nasir Ahmed, said around 10,000 people are infected with rabies annually in Nigeria, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
He emphasized the need for collaboration across all sectors to eliminate rabies by 2030.
Dorcas Mernyi, the focal point for rabies at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, explained that human rabies vaccines, distributed free of charge to affected states, are often unknown to rural residents due to high costs and a lack of local production.
The ministry has launched a nationwide awareness campaign through radio jingles in multiple languages to address this.
Usman Abdulrazak of the Federal Ministry of Environment highlighted the role of proper waste disposal in controlling stray dog populations, which can contribute to the spread of rabies.