Health

A veterinarian, Dr Bala Muhammad, has advised workers handling rabies cases to get immunised against the virus.

Muhammad said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja that such personnel should also ensure that their families were fully immunised.

“Pre-exposure immunisation is recommended for people in certain high-risk occupations such as laboratory workers handling live rabies and rabies-related viruses.

“Also animal disease control staff and wildlife rangers whose professional or personal activities might bring them into direct contact with bats, carnivores or other mammals that may be infected.

“Pre-exposure immunization might be indicated for outdoor travelers and expatriates living in remote areas with high rabies exposure risk and limited local access to rabies biologics.

“Similarly, immunisation is highly recommended for children living in, or visiting such areas among others,’’ he said.

According to him, dogs vaccination is the most cost-effective strategy for preventing rabies in humans and helps to prevent rabies related deaths.

The veterinarian who identified rabies as a 100 per cent vaccine preventable disease, expressed concern that no fewer than 60,000 people globally die from the disease annually.

Muhammad added that globally, rabies related deaths were grossly under reported, with children between the ages of five to 14, as the most victims.

According to him, the World Health Organisation recommends at least 70 per cent annual vaccination coverage of dog populations in order to effectively control the spread of rabies.

On the World Rabies Day, he said it was an opportunity to raise awareness and reflect on efforts being made to control the deadly disease.

According to him, rabies is a highly infectious disease and of concern to public health.

“Statistics have shown that in Africa, approximately 80 per cent of rabies cases in humans occur in rural areas,” he added.

Muhammad said Nigeria had launched the Strategic Plan for the Elimination of Rabies by 2030.

He said apart from immunisation, it was important to raise awareness on rabies and prevention mechanisms.

“Education on dog behaviour and bite prevention for both children and adults is an essential extension of a rabies vaccination programme and can decrease both the incidence of human rabies and the financial burden of treating dog bites.

“Responsible dog ownership entails welfare for dogs, and vaccination against rabies is a core objective,” he added. (NAN)

A.I

Tags: Dr Bala Muhammad World Rabies Day