As Ghana joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Rabies Day, the Veterinary Service is urging local authorities to arrest dog owners who neglect to vaccinate their pets, citing the threat unvaccinated animals pose to public safety. With an estimated 2.5 million dogs in the country, only 170,000 have been vaccinated, sparking concern among health officials.
The Veterinary Service stresses that for Ghana to meet global targets of eliminating rabies deaths, 70% of the nation’s dogs and cats need to be vaccinated. Rabies, which can be contracted from dogs, cats, and monkeys, kills around 55,000 people worldwide each year.
Between 2018 and 2024, Ghana experienced over 600 confirmed rabies outbreaks, with the Ashanti, Greater Accra, Upper East, Western, and Central regions reporting the most cases. The Ashanti Region alone saw 34 positive rabies cases and two deaths between 2020 and 2024.
This year’s World Rabies Day commemoration was held in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District, where a six-year-old girl tragically died of rabies in April. During the event, District Health Director Dr. Eric Sarpong emphasized that preventing further rabies deaths would require collective effort and community engagement.
Dr. Mabel Abudu, the Ashanti Regional Director of Veterinary Services, expressed concern that the country remains vulnerable to more rabies cases due to low vaccination rates. She called for stricter enforcement of bylaws to ensure dog owners take responsibility for vaccinating their pets, warning that without legal action, public compliance will remain low.
“People need to take responsibility for their pets. If you’re going to own a pet, you should budget for its care, including vaccination. If you can’t afford to take care of it, don’t get one. It’s unfortunate our animal welfare system isn’t functioning as it should, but failure to vaccinate should lead to arrests,” Dr. Abudu said.
Currently, out of 2.5 million dogs in Ghana, only 176,000 have been vaccinated, leaving over 2.3 million unprotected. Dr. William Adu, the National Lead for DEFRA-UK’s Animal System Strengthening Project, warned that until Ghana vaccinates at least 70% of its pet population, the country will struggle to meet the global goal of eradicating rabies deaths by 2030.
During a free pet vaccination drive, residents shared their awareness of rabies and emphasized the importance of community involvement in preventing the deadly disease.
World Rabies Day, observed annually on September 28, also commemorates the death of Louis Pasteur, the French scientist who developed the first rabies vaccine.
SOURCE: http://ew360.net
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