Rabies has emerged as a growing concern in Ghana, with over 793 suspected human cases reported and 77 deaths between 2020 and 2023.
In recognition of World Rabies Day 2024, the Veterinary Services Directorate has initiated celebrations to raise awareness.
Rabies is a deadly viral disease affecting mammals, usually transmitted through bites or scratches from infected animals. It leads to severe inflammation of the brain and can be fatal. Children under the age of 15 are most vulnerable to rabies, accounting for 40% of those bitten by rabid animals. The Veterinary Services Directorate reports a rise in rabies cases in urban areas particularly Accra and Kumasi, mainly due to sanitation issues.
“This is due to the growing population of stray and unvaccinated dogs. As Accra and Kumasi is growing astronomically, so are the stray dogs and most of them are not even vaccinated. What even compounds the problem is the availability of waste since these stray dogs thrive on the wastes we dispose of indiscriminately. So, once there is waste around, the stray dogs will multiply.”
The chief veterinary officer Dr. Emmanuel Allegye-Cudjo emphasized the obstacles that impede the Directorate’s efforts in controlling rabies.
“Public awareness on the disease and responsible pet ownership. They see a puppy by the roadside, oh the puppy is nice, they buy it and that is it, they don’t care for them. Once you’ve decided to keep a pet, it should be considered as part of the family. When you’re counting your family size, please don’t leave out the pets. There must be chop money for the pets.”
The President of the Ghana Veterinary Medical Association Dr Joseph Kofi Abuh also added to the obstacles.
“The inadequate budgetary allocation to the animal health sector is one of the challenges faced. If you go throughout the regions, we lack veterinary clinics which is woefully inadequate.”
The directorate also called for the Animal Health Bill to be passed.
The Veterinary Services is calling on all stakeholders to support us in our quest to have the animal health bill that is before the Attorney-Generals Department passed in Parliament. That will facilitate our regulatory activities, our surveillance when it comes to diseases, capacity building and making sure that we safeguard public health.
The Risk Communication Officer from the Directorate, Michaela Wekem highlighted the activities lined up for the celebration.
“September being the month of rabies, we will be embarking on a number of activities, commencing with this press launch, we will be doing advocacy in schools, communities, churches, and hospitals, but this is going to be one health approach.
We will be having persons from the health sector and environmental health sector as well taking on our journey in preventing rabies, educating the general public especially children and teenagers because they are the vulnerable risk group of rabies. Throughout this rabies campaign, we will be doing free vaccinations in underserved communities and subsidized vaccinations in rural centres,” she revealed.
Source:
3news.com
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