Veterinary association seeks FG’s commitment to eradicate rabies

Veterinary association seeks FG’s commitment to eradicate rabies

By Felicia Imohimi
Abuja, April 9, 2020 (NAN) The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association has called on the Federal Government to relaunch the national rabies campaign to eradicate rabies nationwide by 2030.

The President of the association, Prof.  Bello Agaie, made the plea in an interview with a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

He said the association was worried over reported deaths associated with rabies in parts of the country.

According to him, vaccinations and dog licensing should be carried out to meet the 2030 global target of eradication of human deaths from rabies.

He said the nationwide campaign would ensure that dogs roaming the streets were vaccinated, licensed and tagged.

According to him, the campaign will curb dog bites, which is a serious problem in some states of the federation.

Agaie noted that investing in rabies elimination would save lives and strengthen human and veterinary healthcare.

“We are calling for relaunching of rabies campaign in the country because rabies is a serious problem today in the country.

“In many states of the federation we hear of dog bites and we have classical cases where humans who were bitten by dogs become rabid and show classical signs of rabies — ‘human beings barking like dogs and dying eventually.

“A few months ago in Kebbi State, there was a case in Birnin Kebbi where a 10-year-old boy lost his life after being bitten by a rabid dog.

“Similar cases happened in Bauchi and this is becoming normal in the country. We feel that rabies is not a disease we cannot control.

“All you simply need to do is to vaccinate dogs and ensure that all the dogs that are roaming around are either licensed or vaccinated against rabies or you eliminate them. We think this is what government can do.’’

He stressed that Nigeria needed to rise up to the World Health Organisation’s global initiative to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

“We are already in 2020, 10 years before the time, it is still a problem to us but if government is committed, 10 years is enough for us to eradicate rabies because Haiti did it in less than five years so why can’t we do it?” (NAN)
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Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Silas Nwoha