2.6 million dogs to be vaccinated against rabies in Nigeria – CVON
No fewer than 2.6 million dogs in the country are expected to benefit from Federal Government’s free vaccination exercise against rabies.
Our correspondent 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 another or another healthy dog. The victims are mostly children and vulnerable rural communities who are in contact with stray, wild dogs.
The Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria (CVON), Dr. Maimuna Abdullahi Habib, revealed this on Thursday during an interview with journalists at the end of a public lecture on the disease.
Our Correspondent reports that the lecture was organised by the federal ministry of agriculture, states ministries of agriculture in collaboration with USAID Breakthrough Action Nigeria and Food and Agriculture Organisation for students at Doma Girls Secondary School in Gombe State as part of the commemoration of world 2022 rabies day.
Habib said the federal government in partnership with the development partners provided not less than 30, 000 doses of the vaccine for each state of the federation to immunise dogs free of charge.
While noting that rabies is preventable by vaccination, the chief veterinary officer however revealed that the disease is incurable when its symptoms already appear on the affected persons.
Explaining further on the symptoms of rabies, Habib said, “Infected dogs can get mad and be spitting a lot of saliva, dog owners who notice such with their dogs should rush them to veterinary clinics, also people bitten should go to hospital immediately for treatment.”
She also urged children ‘to avoid looking for dogs trouble’ in order to prevent themselves from being bitten and contracting the illness.
“Children see dogs lying down quietly and they go and look for their trouble. So, we are telling them they should not do it,” She added.
The chief veterinary officer further explained that they were in Gombe because they had a report of four deaths in Dukku local government asking dogs owners to bring their dogs for vaccination at veterinary clinics nationwide.
