Initiatives have been taken to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies in Nigeria by 2030, According to the Federal Government.
Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, revealed this on Tuesday during a joint ministerial news conference in Abuja to observe World Rabies Day.
He said that rabies was the deadliest disease known to man, with a near-100 percent death rate.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the theme of this year’s World Rabies Day, which is commemorated on September 28th, is “All for 1-One Health for All.”
The minister stated that the Federal Government has continued to buy Anti Rabies Vaccines for animal vaccination in its ongoing attempt to eradicate the fatal illness.
He also stated that the government has obtained doses of Human pre- and post-exposure vaccines for rabies immunization of persons at high risk.
According to him, this included animal health workers, hunters, and people who had been bitten by sick animals.
“Rabies is the deadliest disease known to man with a fatality rate of almost 100 per cent if adequate prophylaxis is not instituted immediately following exposure.
” It is zoonotic in nature, affecting all warm blooded animals and man, and is transmitted through the bite of an infected animal.
“In Nigeria dogs are responsible for approximately 99 per cent of these exposures.
” The burden of the disease in Nigeria is not known but it has been reported from every state in Nigeria occurring all year round with devastating outcomes in humans and livestock.
“It is however heartwarming to note that the disease is 100 per cent vaccine preventable.
“Hence by vaccinating your dogs and cats annually and keeping them on leash, rabies can be kicked out of Nigeria,” he said.
In a remark, the Minister of State for Environment, Dr Ishak Salako, said that the theme of the 2023 rabies day was quite apt .
He emphasises the need to involve everyone through proper coordination, and health education to eventually mitigate the deadly scourge.
Salako said that stray dogs were the main sources of infection as they interact with one another, with an exposure window for transmission of the virus from an infected dog.
” I want to call on the officers with responsibility for management of wildlife and parks to improve on their surveillance activities to ensure the control of the spread of this disease,” he said.
The minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, said that rabies virus is spread through the saliva of the infected animal.
“It is estimated that rabies is responsible for 59,000 agonising human deaths annually with most people living in poor, rural community in Africa and Asia.
” One person dies of rabies around the world every nine minute according to Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC).
“In humans, the exact burden of rabies is not known because mapping is yet to be conducted,” he said.
He said that rabies is present on all continents except Antarctica with over 95 per cent of human deaths occurring in Asia and Africa.
The minister said that the treatment of rabies is estimated at the cost of US$8.6 billion per year.
He listed risk factors for rabies to include, trading of dogs, processing and eating dog meat, irresponsible dog ownership, stray dogs among others.
Alausa said that Global Strategic Plan for the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030 is an ambitious document with achievable targets.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, said that rabies remained endemic in Nigeria since it was first reported in 1912.
He said the theme of the 2023 rabies day is a call for all stakeholders to join hands in the fight to control and eliminate rabies in Nigeria.
