By Elizabeth Eze
The Ebonyi government has secured a total of 3, 500 doses of antirabies vaccine for dogs and cats in the efforts to prevent and eradicate rabies across communities in the state.
Mr Moses Nomeh, State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources stated this during the flagging-off of the Free Mass Antirabies Vaccination Campaign Programme on Tuesday in Abakaliki.
Nomeh said the essence of the programme which is in collaboration with the Federal Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was to get rid of rabies by the year 2030.
The Agency reports that the theme for the two weeks exercise was tagged: "End Rabies in Ebonyi; Collaborate, Vaccinate.
"We are collaborating with the federal government to ensure that dogs in the rural and urban areas in the state are captured in the exercise to prevent rabies," Nomeh noted.
Dr Ephraim Nwanga, Director, Veterinary Services Department in the State Ministry of Agriculture, said the programme was a welcome development and expressed hope that the exercise would achieve over 70 per cent coverage in the state.
"I believe the exercise will achieve 70 per cent coverage and once its achieved, a society will live without rabies; and when bitten, the virus will not get to the level of community transmittion.
"We are going to continue the vaccinatiom of all dogs and cats from 2021 to 2023," Nwanga said.
The Director, however explained that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had included rabies disease in the integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) as public health important.
According to him, the programme were sponsored by the World Health Organisation (WHO), World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), REDISSE and by federal government in collaboration with the state government.
Dr Rita Okoro, Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Agriculture, described rabies as one of the deadly viral disease that affect human health, transmitted by dogs and cats.
According to her, the duration for each dose of the vaccine administered on a dog is expected to last between 2 to 3-years.
She urged the general public to join in the fight against rabies by taking advantage of the programme to bring their pets for vaccine.
"We are creating awareness on the fight against rabies and 95 per cent of bits are dogs, which transmits the infection.
"We are targeting lot of dogs both in rural and urban places to get the antirabies vaccines," Okoro said.
The Vice President, Dog Breeder Ebonyi Chapter, Mr Victor Chidiebere commended the federal and state governments towards the free antirabies vaccine.
"It takes a lot to care of dogs. And the exercise have gone a long way to give a little relief to dog and cat owners in the state.
"I am impressed with the programme and wish it will continue to assist breeders with more than one pets.
Another dog owner, Mr Kenneth Nwaoba, appreciated governments, partners on the programme and encouraged them to sustain the exercise to eradicate rabies and as dog breeding is a lucrative venture.
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