The Minister of State for ICT, Godfrey Kabyanga Baluku, has revealed the government’s commitment to working with all stakeholders in the fight to eliminate rabies and other related diseases affecting the animal sub-sector.

He made the remarks during the commemoration of World Rabies Day 2024 in Kasese District, where he was a chief guest.

“I have been made to understand that rabies is a deadly disease and it is too expensive for individuals to pay for treatment when bitten by rabid animals. Government should plan to procure more human medicine (post-exposure prophylaxis) and also invest more in vaccination of pets to stop the disease at source since it is 10 times cheaper to vaccinate dogs than treat human patients,” the Minister said.

In addition, he noted that the government is ready to support and work with all partners and stakeholders to prevent and eliminate this disease by 2030.

The Minister was also excited about the coordination and collaboration of over 15 partners, who came together to fight rabies in this World Rabies Day 2024.

During the event, the Minister also awarded certificates to District Health Officers (DHOs), District Veterinary Officers (DVOs), public health staff, surveillance focal persons, Uganda Wildlife Authority staff, District Health Educators, and statisticians from the western region who attended the One Health training from 25th to 27th September 2024.

The training was supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the National One Health Platform.

This year, World Rabies Day has been celebrated under the theme “Breaking rabies boundaries: acknowledging that there are several barriers to rabies control, and the disease is transboundary in nature.”

About rabies

Rabies is a fatal viral disease of all warm-blooded animals, including humans. It spreads through bites and scratches from infected animals, and 99% of human cases are from dogs.

Signs in dogs

The signs of rabies in animals include aggressive behavior, chewing on strange things such as rocks, dirt, or wood, excessive drooling of saliva, fear of light, and difficulty in breathing and swallowing.

Signs in human beings

In humans, the signs and symptoms include headache, fear of water, wind, and exposure to sunlight, difficulty in breathing and swallowing, hearing strange voices, and seeing strange things that do not exist.

Facts about rabies

Not all dog bites cause rabies; some are free from rabies, but one should always seek medical attention whenever bitten by an animal.

Rabies is not curable once humans or animals start to show the signs and symptoms.

Any animal affected by rabies, including human beings, can transmit rabies through their saliva and/or bites.

Most 99% of human rabies cases are from dog bites. Rabies is, therefore, highly preventable in humans through effective vaccination of Dogs and cats.

The cost of treating a human rabies case is 40 times the cost of vaccinating an animal. Human anti-rabies vaccine is also available for humans.

How to prevent rabies?

Awareness creation: Every Ugandan must know how to prevent rabies in animals when to suspect that an animal might be having rabies, and what should be done in case he/she is bitten by an animal so that he/she does not develop the disease.

Getting treatment: After an animal bite, also called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). This is admitted after one is bitten or scratched by an animal suspected to be having rabies. If the wound is managed properly by washing with plenty of water and soap immediately after the animal bite and PEP is promptly accessed, one is almost 100% sure that they will not die from rabies.

Vaccination of animals: Mass vaccination of Dogs, cats, and other pets is another proven way of preventing rabies.

Barriers needed to be dealt with include;

Lack of sufficient knowledge about rabies transmission and prevention in the communities.

Limited resources for mass vaccination campaigns for dogs.

Limited access to treatment (PEP) of victims of rabies bites.

The traditional beliefs and practices hinder rabies control, such as relating rabies to witchcraft and using concoctions to treat wounds.

Rabies also affects wildlife and can be a source of infection to animals and humans. Therefore, there is a need for strong collaboration with UWA to have preventive interventions in wildlife.

Inadequate enforcement of the laws and policies on rabies control.

Limited research on rabies to invent new vaccines, treatments, and technologies for rabies prevention and control.

Limited international collaborations in terms of sharing knowledge, resources, and strategies for rabies control.

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