World Rabies’ Day celebration: Vet. doctor urges dog owners to go for vaccination


World Rabies’ Day celebration: Vet. doctor urges dog owners to go for vaccination
Vaccination
By Uchenna Ugwu
Abakaliki, Sept. 28, 2019 (NAN) Dr Nwenyi Okoro, the Chairman of the  National Veterinary Medical Association, Ebonyi chapter, has advised dog owners to ensure regular vaccination of their dogs to prevent the spread of rabies.
Okoro gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Saturday, while speaking on the World Rabies Day celebration, observed every September 28 across the globe.
He said that it was far better to vaccinate dogs in order to prevent rabies infection than the treatment of an infected person.
He said, “If dog owners vaccinate their dogs, it will drastically eliminate the deaths resulting from dog bites and human rabies.”
Okoro, who is also the Head, Veterinary Public Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ebonyi, described rabies as a vaccine preventable viral disease.
He said that vaccination and constant public awareness campaign were key to the eradication of the disease.
“These measures are key to overcome the condition and people should be aware that vaccination is a very cheap option when compared to treatment.
“There is ‘Canine rabies vaccine’, which is cheap and effective. Vaccinate your pets to protect your family and the public.
“If we can get dog owners to vaccinate their pets, it will eliminate human rabies in domestic dog population.
“We help people who are bitten by these rabies carriers with the ‘Postexposure prophylaxis’, which  consists of a dose of Human Rabies Immune Globulin and rabies vaccine given on the day of the rabies’ exposure,’’ he said.
The veterinarian further advised the public to update vaccination of their dogs and report cases and suspected animals with unusual behavior to the Veterinary Service Centre and Units in the state for intervention.
He appealed to governments and non-governmental organisations, colleagues in human and public health and animal health professionals, to form a synergy and work for rabies awareness and control.
He also called for the support of the law enforcement agencies, community-based organisations, social mobilisation groups, animal health workers, partners and media.
“We are committed to the 2030 goal of eliminating rabies deaths with your collaborations,” Okoro said. (NAN)
UVU/VIV/USO
(Edited by Vivian Ihechu/Sam Oditah)