Five cases of rabies were recorded in Eastern Region in 2024.
The cases were detected in Donkokrom in Afram Plains North, Oyoko in New Juaben North, Monrovia and Nyamekrom in New Juaben South.
The Veterinary Services Department in Eastern Region however laments that the cases are underreported as many owners of animals refuse to report suspected cases of rabies or dog bites for accurate records on the disease.
“So we want to plead with the general public, please, when you are bitten by a dog, whether a known dog in your house or whether a stray dog, please report to the nearest health facility and then we get that report to our veterinary services, and it helps with our data collection and the accuracy of disease reports”. Said Dr. Kofi Nti Agyarko, a Senior Veterinary Officer.
Nonetheless, the Eastern Regional Veterinary Services Department vaccinated 5,916 animals in 2024, up from 4,968 in 2023, with support from the Government of Ghana, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Animal Health System Strengthening Project funded by the British government.
The Anti Rabies campaign has been intensified this year as well.
Dr. Kofi Nti Agyarko urged pet owners to vaccinate their animals regularly and cooperate with veterinary officers to enhance disease surveillance and animal health reporting.
“Sadly, we are seeing that (people do not really report the rabies incident or when they are being bitten by dogs, they do not report. If they even get a scratch or get a bite, they should come and then report to us so that at least we could know how to curb and curb some of these menace that we have”.
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According to World Health Organization, Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic, viral Neglected Tropical Disease affecting the central nervous system.
In up to 99% of the human rabies cases, dogs are responsible for virus transmission. Children between the age of 5 and 14 years are frequent victims.
Rabies infects mammals, including dogs, cats, livestock and wildlife. Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is virtually 100% fatal.
The global cost of rabies is estimated to be around US$ 8.6 billion per year including lost lives and livelihoods, medical care and associated costs, as well as uncalculated psychological trauma.
Rabies is present on all continents except Antarctica. Globally there are an estimated 59,000 deaths from rabies annually; however, due to underreporting, documented case numbers often differ from the estimate.
Dr. Kofi Nti Agyarko lauded government’s effort to employ more Vertinary officers stating that this would boost staff strength for maximum output in curbing spread of the zoonotic diseases.
He however appealed to government to improve condition of service for Veterinary Services staff .
He also appealed to government to either subsidized or provide for free post exposure Profilaxis vaccine for front line Veterinary officers to prevent them from risk of rabbies whiles on duty.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
