Breaking Rabies Boundaries in Commemoration of the World Rabies Day 28th September, 2024
By Dr Ibikunle Faramade
As a matter of summary of the previous two articles written in the last two weeks titled Countdown to World Rabies Day 2024, in commemoration of this year’s World Rabies Day with the theme; Breaking Rabies Boundaries, rabies is a zoonotic disease reputed to cause not less than 50, 000 death annually, worldwide, with children accounting for about 15% of the victims. The disease is caused by rabies virus which is maintained in the wild and transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected dog. However, the disease is 100% vaccine preventable through annual vaccination of dogs and cats. Rabies vaccine has been in use globally since its discovery by Louis Pasteur in 1885 and its efficacy in preventing the incidence of the disease before and after exposure to the bite of rabid dogs had been validated over the years.
Rabies virus is transmitted from bats (regarded as a reservoir) to dogs through complex interactions. The virus has special affinity for the nerve cells where it quickly attach after a rabid dog’s bite. The saliva of a rabid dog is rich in the virus after the incubation period. The teeth of the rabid dog serve as a tool to open up the body to receive virus laden saliva.
The virus’ final destination is the brain. That’s why the period of manifestation of rabies after a rabid dog bite depends on the closeness of the site of bite to the brain. At times, the victims may have forgotten that a dog once bit him/her. A bite on the heels may have prolonged period of manifestation than the bite on the hand.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF INFECTION AFTER A BITE?
Although, rabies virus is dangerous but it is very fragile. The use of water and detergent to wash the site of the wound copiously immediately after a bite is known to reduce the possibility of rabies transmission by at least 50%. Thereafter, visit the nearest (human) hospital. Vaccination of all humans at risk is advocated. These include veterinarians and all cadres of workforce related to animal health service delivery and animal handlers (especially, dogs and cats).
It is possible to make rabies a disease of the past in Nigeria if the existing boundaries that have perpetuated the disease are completely removed. These include:
- Low level of awareness and wrong perception of the disease by many Nigerians. This should be reversed by improved dissemination of information by relevant government agencies and non-governmental organizations, using the mass media.
- The boundary of chronic inadequate veterinary personnel in many States of the Federation and lack of synergy between the public and private veterinary services have crippled many veterinary public health interventions and initiatives. This should be urgently addressed.
- The boundary of rural-urban dichotomy should be removed through the prioritization of mass rural and peri-urban dog vaccination free of charge, focusing on the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
- Targeted advocacy and sectorial engagements of the populace, especially, among hunters whose dogs traverse the forest, towns and cities should be embarked upon to remove the boundary of ignorance that has held many bound, making the disease to spread.
- The boundary of haphazard planning, vaccine availability, poor logistics and inadequate monitoring and evaluation of vaccination campaign performance should be reversed.
- Adoption of house to house vaccination model (i.e. Kick out Polio model) would remove the boundary of animal transport difficulty during centralized vaccination campaign, taking the vaccines to the door steps of the end users, thereby increasing the vaccination coverage.
- The boundary of poor animal disease reporting system in Nigeria should be replaced with real time, efficient disease reporting model that could ensure prompt epidemiological responses, limiting the spread anytime rabies incidence is reported throughout the country.
In conclusion, the declaration of state of emergency on rabies prevention and control, using the model of “One Health Approach”, where the Federal Government takes the lead with States and Local Governments working in synergy would undoubtedly remove all boundaries of limitation that have made rabies to continue to fester in Nigeria. By this, the Sustainable Development Goal- 3 of eliminating rabies among other diseases by 2030 in Nigeria would become achievable.
Concluded
Dr. Ibikunle Faramade is a veterinary pathologist, sustainable development practitioner, animal welfare advocate and a lecturer at the Federal College of Animal Health & Production Technology, Apata. Ibadan. He’s the C.E.O of sthe Society for Animal Rights Protection, a non-profit and a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the promotion of animal welfare, animal rights and prevention of cruelty to animals. animalrightsprotection2020@gmail.com , +2348028305284
