UYO
A two-month campaign for free vaccination of dogs against rabies has been flagged off by the Akwa Ibom government in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) in the state.
The commissioner for agriculture, Dr Offiong Offor, while performing the flag off ceremony at the field of the Ministry of Agriculture Headquarters in Uyo, said rabies was a vaccine-preventable viral disease which occurs in more than 150 countries of the world.
Offor flanked by the permanent secretary in her Ministry, MrsMary Ukoette Bassey, noted that dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths, contributing up to 99 percent of all rabies transmissions to humans, which could affect both domestic and wild animals.
The commissioner explained that the campaign was intended to create awareness and advocate for rabies elimination in the state, hence the campaign was designed to be inclusive, uniting people, organisations and stakeholders across all sectors, against rabies.
She posited that rabies elimination was possible through vaccination of dogs and prevention of dog bites, noting that rabies infection causes tens of thousands of deaths, yearly, mostly in Asia and Africa.
Offor noted that it was in pursuance of the goal of eliminating rabies that the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health; the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, through campaigns and accompanying practical measures have set a global target of “zero human rabies death by 2030”.
Her words: “In the light of the aforementioned key facts, the Akwa Ibom State Government in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), flags off this campaign to contain the threat to life by the incurable viral disease.”
The commissioner noted that as part of the exercise all Out-station Veterinary Centres in the 31 local government areas of the state would remain open to the public for a free of charge vaccination of dogs, cats, monkeys and other rabies prone animals.
The development, she said, made it possible for the National Anti- Rabies Campaign to commence its operations with effect from August 17 through October 15, 2022, covering two months period.
Offor advised pets owners to present their pets for vaccination in the nearest veterinary clinic to them in the 31 local government areas that are managed by competent veterinary doctors, who are on the employ of the state government.
She commended Gov Udom Emmanuel for the various empowerment programmes initiated for farmers in the state and appreciated the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammed Abubakar, for partnering the state to stem the spread of rabies.
The commissioner also noted with delight the large turn out of pet owners for the flag off ceremony which, she said, was an indication of their commitment to the cause of preventing the spread of rabies in the state.
She called on stakeholders to join hands in the fight against the viral disease in the interest of all and sundry in the state.
The director of Veterinary Services in the state, Dr. Obot Obot, while welcoming guests, noted that the event was of two significance, being the protection of dogs and humans against the spread of rabies in the state.
Obot assured pet owners that once their dogs are vaccinated they are protected against the viral disease, noting with happiness that the clement weather for the conduct of the flag off exercise was an indication that God was in support of the project implementation in the state.
A former chairman, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Akwa Ibom Chapter, Dr Eden Offiong, said in his goodwill message, on the occasion, that the dangers of rabies to human beings called for massive participation of all stakeholders in the fight against rapid spread of the disease in the state.
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