Rabies eradication central to Nigeria’s livestock, health agenda — Maiha

…Says FG committed to 70% canine vaccination by 2030

By Sola Ogundipe

As Nigeria joined the remainder of the satellite to people the 2025 World Rabies Day connected September 28, the Federal authorities has restated its committedness to the attainment of 70 per cent canine vaccination and zero quality deaths successful its resoluteness to destruct dog-mediated rabies successful the state by 2030 successful enactment with the planetary target.
The Livestock Management Services (LMS) besides charged canine owners successful the state to enactment to forestall the dispersed of rabies by vaccinating their pets arsenic a preventative means against the illness which affects

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, who made the telephone successful Abuja, successful a declaration connected World Rabies Day, said the days of rabies terrorising Nigerian families are numbered.

“Government unsocial cannot triumph this battle. It requires you, me, and our communities moving manus successful hand. Together, we tin marque Nigeria rabies-free. Our attack is deliberate: to guarantee that nary household suffers the needless symptom of losing a loved 1 to rabies,” Maiha stated.

Noting this year’s planetary taxable campaign—“Act Now: You, Me, Community” Maiha noted that rabies, 1 of the deadliest zoonotic diseases, continues to assertion lives crossed the country, but the authorities is nary longer lasting still.

According to him, nationwide vaccination campaigns for dogs and cats are underway. Public sensitisation efforts are intensifying, and veterinary services are being strengthened, particularly successful underserved communities wherever the hazard is highest.

Rabies eradication, helium emphasized, is not conscionable a wellness issue, but cardinal to Nigeria’s livestock improvement and nutrient information goals.

Nigeria’s committedness to gathering the planetary people of zero quality deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. To execute this, Maiha called connected authorities governments, section councils, veterinary professionals, and assemblage leaders to align with the nationalist rabies elimination plan.

In a related development, Nigeria’s Livestock Management Services (LMS) has warned that unless 70 percent of the country’s canine colonisation is vaccinated, rabies outbreaks volition proceed to haunt communities nationwide.

Speaking successful Abuja, Director and CEO of LMS, Bala Muhammed, told newsmen that persistent gaps successful vaccination sum are fueling the dispersed of 1 of the deadliest zoonotic diseases known to man.

“This is simply a telephone to action,” helium said. Vaccinating dogs is not conscionable cheaper, it’s smarter. It prevents quality suffering and reduces the load connected our wellness system. Interrupting rabies transmission is not optional; it’s urgent,” helium stated.

Over 99 percent of quality rabies infections travel from hunting and free-roaming assemblage dogs that interact with wildlife and past walk the microorganism to home animals and people. We request government, NGOs, donors, and assemblage leaders to mobilise. Rabies is preventable. Let’s enactment present together,” helium stressed.

He called for a nationalist surge successful resources—free wide vaccination campaigns, mobile clinics, grooming for section vaccinators, and mapping of canine populations.

Globally, rabies claims an estimated 59,000 lives each year, with Africa accounting for astir 21,000 of those deaths. In Nigeria, betwixt 1,000 and 2,000 radical dice annually from rabies, with implicit 10,000 persons astatine hazard of infection, and tens of thousands much endure dog-bite exposures. Children nether 15 are the astir vulnerable.

Rabies is astir 100 percent fatal erstwhile symptoms look but besides 100 percent preventable. Mohammed called for liable favored ownership, including registration, confinement, and yearly vaccination.

He besides emphasized the life-saving value of timely coiled washing and accelerated entree to Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), though helium acknowledged that PEP remains costly and retired of scope for many.

He urged wellness and veterinary services to coordinate Integrated Bite Case Management (IBCM), guarantee PEP access, and dainty each wound with the seriousness it deserves. “Policymakers indispensable money wide vaccination, surveillance, and assemblage education. Every vicinity indispensable recognize the information of unvaccinated dogs.”

World Rabies Day, commemorated annually connected September 28, honors the bequest of Louis Pasteur, who developed the archetypal rabies vaccine. But arsenic Muhammed reminded the nation, the combat against rabies is acold from over.

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