ABUJA – Some experts in the animal health sub-sector on Monday urged dog owners to vaccinate their dogs to eliminate cases of rabies in the country.
The experts and stakeholders, who spoke at the 2014 World Rabies Day celebration in Abuja, said rabies was a deadly disease in the class of `Ebola Virus’ and `Lasa fever’.
The Director, Veterinary Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Abdulgani Abubakar, said about 55, 000 people die yearly of rabies worldwide.
Abubakar, represented by Dr Eze Egejuru, Director, Veterinary Public Health, said rabies could be transmitted to man through saliva of infected animals like dog, cattle, sheep, cat or bats.
“Rabies causes between 26,000 and 55,000 deaths annually; more than 45 per cent occurs in Asia and Africa.
“The mortality rate once signs appear is 99 per cent; however, it is 100 per cent preventable in human population by eliminating rabies in pets through mass vaccination and avoiding contacts with wild animals.
“Nigeria dogs are the principal source of rabies infections in humans.
“Majority of the victims of rabies are children under the age of 15 due to their close association with pets,” he said.
According to him, the theme for this year’s celebration is “Together against Rabies’’ which emphasise the importance for all stakeholders to join hands and fight rabies in Nigeria.
In his lecture, Dr Debo Ogunbade, a specialist in animal health, said Africa was facing challenges of population growth and infectious diseases.
Ogunbade said 75 per cent of infectious diseases in man in the region were transmitted from animal to man, and stressed the need to vaccinate pets and other animals.
“We all have a role to play; if you must have a dog, you must be a responsible owner, vaccinate your dog and do not sell sick dogs for public consumption,’’ he said. [eap_ad_1] Ogunbade gave some symptoms of rabies in dogs as unnecessary aggression, biting of inanimate things like stones or bottles, chasing and biting of moving objects like vehicles, bikes, other animals or man.
The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Linus Awute, urged the public to report any case of dog bite to the nearest hospital.
Awute, who was represented by the Head of Epidemiology Division, Mrs Soniyi Adeniyi, said the Federal Government had positioned anti-rabies facilities in 10 acute states for easy access.
He said the process was ongoing, saying that before the end of 2014, the facilities would be in all states of the country.
The 2014 World Rabies Day was organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health. (NAN)
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