Anti-Rabies Vaccination Campaign: FG collaborates with Anambra State

The Federal Government of Nigeria in collaboration with Anambra State Government has commenced free Anti Rabies Vaccination Campaign geared towards elimination of the disease by 2030.

Flagging off the campaign in Awka, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon Nnamdi Onukwuba, reiterated the commitment of government to step down the exercise in all zones.

The Commissioner who was represented by Director Veterinary Services, Dr Basil Ideh, stated that the state had never recorded any case of the disease in the past five years, adding that it had been carrying out the vaccination programme annually. 

The Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Olaniran Alabi, said the disease could be 100% prevented through mass dog vaccination and enlightenment campaigns as dogs accounted for 99% of human deaths resulting from rabies.

“It is recommended that at least 70% of dogs should be vaccinated annually for three consecutive years to be able to break the transmission cycle of rabies and consequently eliminate the disease. It is estimated globally that 70,000 people die of rabies annually”, he said.

The Director who was represented by his Assistant, Dr Emmanuel Adole, mentioned some of the constraints in the control of the disease to include unlicensed dogs, mostly unvaccinated and allowed to roam freely in the communities. 

He thanked donor agencies for responding by donating 200,000 doses of Anti-Rabies Vaccine ARV to the nation to assist in the control of the disease. 

Nneka Ukachukwu