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Rabies day: Gov’t issues guidelines to dogs, cats owners
Dog owners are encouraged to take their dogs for mass vaccination which is done free of charge every year across the country and once the dog receives three dozes it will be safe from rabbies. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- To curb dog bites and likely spread of rabies, the government has guided that; all dog owners should teach their children not to disturb, beat or play with dogs as well as reporting any strange dog in the community to the veterinary officers.
The government has issued guidelines to all Ugandans owning dogs and cats to ensure that the animals do not attack human beings which may lead to mayhem and spread of the deadly viral rabies disease among the population.
Speaking to the journalist in Kampala on September 26, Mr Bright Rwamirama, the State Minister for Agriculture, Animals Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) revealed that 99 percent of human rabies is attributed to bites from infected dogs, and it is therefore important to ensure that dogs are raised in less dangerous ways to people.
“Rabies remains a death sentence for both unvaccinated animals and humans. The victim bitten by an infected dog usually shows signs within 1-3 months after exposure, becomes paralyzed and dies within 7 to 10 days,” Mr Rwamirama said.
Adding that: “Children are the most vulnerable due to their frequent interaction with the animals.”
To curb dog bites and likely spread of rabies, the government has guided that; all dog owners should teach their children not to disturb, beat or play with dogs as well as reporting any strange dog in the community to the veterinary officers.
Other guidelines are include; dogs and cats should be given enough food so that they do not roam in the communities looking for food. Dogs should be subjected to lifetime training programs and rewards and dogs should not be trained through violent, physical or aggressive means
Dog owners are to make an effort to vaccinate dogs against rabies and other preventable diseases and also keep the vaccination certificates for future references.
Other animals owners are also encouraged to manage their them responsibly as well as keeping only the numbers they can feed, vaccinate and treat.
The government guidelines come ahead of the World Rabies Day slated for September 28, 2023 with the national commemoration to be hosted in Gomba District.
This year, the day will be marked under the theme; ‘Rabies: All for 1, One Health for All’, to raise awareness about the disease, its prevention and to underscore the remarkable strides made in combating rabies in the country.
“One Health is an arrangement through which different disciplines work together to control and prevent diseases. The theme emphasizes collaboration among different stakeholders, equality and strengthening health systems,” Mr Rwamirama said.
Status of rabies in Uganda
Statistics from MAAIF indicate that on average a total of 13, 009 suspected rabies cases in humans are recorded annually while 975 suspected cases are recorded annually in animals. Equally, the ministry’s data shows that 32 people and 130 animals die of rabies on average per year.
The government spends over Shs8b to purchase anti-rabies treatment for humans as well as procuring rabies vaccines for animals, annually.
The most affected districts in the central region are; Masaka, Mukono, Kalangala and Gomba.
As part of the activities to commemorate the world Rabies day 2023, Mr Rwamirama revealed that there will be mass free vaccination of dogs and cats across all the districts.
