All districts across the country started conducting mass vaccination, spaying, and castration of dogs and cats, one health training by FAO-UN, and awareness and risk communication on rabies through different means.
In addition, there are also school outreach programs since children are highly at risk of rabies.
Such activities are done ahead of the national event, which will be held on Saturday, 28th November, at Rwenzori Square, Central Division headquarters in Kasese Municipality.
This year, World Rabies Day will be celebrated under the theme “Breaking rabies boundaries: acknowledging that there are several barriers to rabies control, and the disease is transboundary in nature.”
As part of the celebration, a team from the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) led by the Senior Veterinary Officer/Focal person on Rabies, Dr. Flavia Nakanjako, and other stakeholders are currently camping in Kasese District, conducting activities in 15 sub-counties ahead of the main event.
Dr. Nakanjako encouraged the public to be highly involved in the ongoing activities that include vaccination, spaying, and castration of stray dogs and cats, together with awareness creation programs as well as the main event that will take place on the 28th of September in Kasese.
Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. It is a deadly, preventable viral disease that affects all warm-blooded animals and is widespread in many regions, including Africa.
The disease remains of major public health importance in Uganda. In 2021, a total of 14,865 annual dog bites were reported in the Country. It claimed approximately 36 lives per year.
Uganda has acknowledged the importance of eradicating rabies by 2030 using the Stepwise Approach for Rabies Elimination (SARE) tool, in line with SDG 3, which aims to ensure good health and well-being for everyone.
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