Rabies undersiege with innovative life-changing strategies
Despite its deadly legacy, the Veterinary Services Department outlines a comprehensive strategy prioritizing domestic animal protection through vaccination and surveillance to safeguard human lives and shield domestic animals from infection.
Speaking to AfroGazette News, Veterinary Services Director, Doctor Jairus Muchakwa outlines rabies control strategy focusing on domestic animal vaccination and nationwide surveillance, particularly in human-wildlife interaction zones.
“Controlling the disease in wildlife is challenging, so we focus on protecting domestic dogs and cats through yearly vaccination, particularly in areas where humans and wildlife interact. Nationwide surveillance, in partnership with ZimParks staff in national parks, enables prompt response to abnormal observations including mass vaccinations for at-risk animals.”
Doctor Muchakwa stresses veterinary services’ key role in rabies prevention through public education on annual pet vaccinations, recognizing signs in livestock and responding to suspected infections and bites.
“We conduct awareness campaigns encouraging annual vaccinations for dogs and cats, starting at three months and boosting at 12 months. People are taught to recognize signs of rabies in livestock such as anorexia, impaired coordination, lameness, hypersalivation and unusual vocalizations.”
He adds,” When people are bitten by any animal, they are advised to immediately wash the wound with running water and soap several times for 15 to 20 minutes and seek medical attention from the nearest medical centre for post-exposure prophylaxis”.
He reveals groundbreaking advancements in rabies diagnosis and vaccination to combat this deadly disease.
“Rabies diagnosis is now more accessible and efficient. Previously conducted solely at Harare’s central laboratory, testing has been decentralized to Mutare and Bulawayo provincial laboratories enabling faster testing and more effective disease management”.
“Additionally, research on thermostable vaccines is underway to further improve vaccination efforts,”said Muchakwa.
Dr Muchakwa urged pet owners to vaccinate against rabies, debunking the myth that it affects hunting ability and warned of potential prosecution for non-compliance.
“In rural areas where dogs are used for hunting, there is a myth that vaccinating a dog makes it lazy and unable to hunt. However, failing to vaccinate attracts a level 3 fine of USD $30, while vaccination costs just USD $1”.
According to the World Health Organization, rabies is a viral disease that spreads via saliva and infects mammals. Symptoms of the disease include fever, aggressive behavior, excessive salivation and failure to eat or drink.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) in Zimbabwe has reported a significant increase in dog bites across the country, with 598 incidents recorded and no fatalities for the week ending September 29, 2024. Breaking down the numbers, 151 cases were from vaccinated dogs, 120 from unvaccinated dogs, and 327 were of unknown vaccination status. Masvingo and Mashonaland West provinces topped the list with 99 and 81 cases, respectively. The total dog bite cases in Zimbabwe now stand at 20,779, with zero reported deaths.
