Chima Azubuike
The Minister of State, Agriculture Mustapha Shehuri, on Wednesday, flagged off the nationwide anti-rabies vaccination exercise in the Dukku Local Government Area of Gombe State.
Delivering his Keynote address at the event, Shehuri explained that the exercise was part of activities commemorating the 2020 World Rabies day organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and states ministries of agriculture in collaboration with USAID Breakthrough Action Nigeria.
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 to another healthy dog. The victims are mostly children and vulnerable rural communities who are in contact with stray, wild dogs.
According to the minister, rabies remains a global threat, noting that it is responsible for the death of approximately 59, 000 people in the world every year.
He said, “In Nigeria, rabies is responsible for the death of a number of persons annually. Most of these deaths occur amongst rural dwellers. Generally, ignorance, poverty, and lack of access to timely medical care largely contribute to the spread and impact of the disease in the country.”
Shehuri added that the theme of this year’s commemoration is tagged “One Health Zero Death” and the target is to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies globally by the year 2030.
He, therefore, advised those who own dogs to bring them for the vaccination so that the disease would not catch them and get spread to the people.
On her part, the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria Dr. Maimuna Habib said Nigeria has developed a national strategic plan for the control of rabies.
Habib said, “Finally, permit me to use this opportunity to inform his Excellency that we have developed a National Strategic Plan for the Control of Rabies in Nigeria. The document was launched on the 26th of September, 2022 at the presidential Banquet Hall State House Abuja.
“This document would serve as a guide for the implementation of the National Programme for the Control of Rabies which was recently approved by the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development.
“The document outlines the strategies to be adopted in the prevention, control, and eventual elimination of the Rabies in the country. therefore urge us all to ensure that we continue to provide the enabling environment in our various domains towards the elimination of rabies in the country in line with the global target.”
Also speaking, Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, who was represented by Deputy Governor, Manassah Jatau. said it had become imperative for rabies to be controlled, owing to its huge consequences.
Yahaya said, “It is important that we control rabies, it threatens the existence of wildlife species, causes deaths of human beings and it is a great burden on animal species. This being the case we are challenged to do all we can to stop its transmission to human beings, other animals, and even to the dogs themselves.”
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