By Chima Azubuike
No fewer than 2.6 million dogs in the country are expected to benefit from Federal Government’s free vaccination exercise against rabies.
PUNCH HealthWise reports that rabies is a zoonotic disease that affects animals, and humans. it is transmitted through the bite of an infected dog to human beings or another healthy dog. The victims of rabies are mostly children and vulnerable rural communities who are in contact with stray, wild dogs.
The Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Dr. Maimuna Habib, disclosed the plan of the FG on Thursday while speaking with journalists at the end of a public lecture on the disease in Gombe.
Our Correspondent reports that the lecture was organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, and the states’ ministries of agriculture in collaboration with USAID Breakthrough Action Nigeria and Food and Agriculture Organisation.
The lecture was held for students at Doma Girls Secondary School in Gombe State as part of the commemoration of the 2022 World Rabies Day.
Habib said the federal government in partnership with the development partners provided not less than 30, 000 doses of the vaccine for each state of the federation to immunise dogs free of charge.
While noting that rabies is preventable by vaccination, the chief veterinary officer stressed that the disease is incurable when its symptoms already appear on the affected persons.
Habib said, “Infected dogs can get mad and be spitting a lot of saliva, dog owners who notice such with their dogs should rush them to veterinary clinics, also people bitten should go hospital immediately for treatment.”
She also urged children ‘to avoid looking for dogs trouble’ to prevent themselves from being bitten and contracting the illness.
“Children see dogs lying down quietly and they go and look for their trouble. So, we are telling them they should not do it,” She added.
The chief veterinary officer further explained that they were in Gombe because they had a report of four deaths in Dukku Local Government of the state.
She urged dog owners across the country to take their dogs for vaccination at veterinary clinics nationwide.
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