BUSIA, UGANDA: Busia district has embarked on mass vaccination of cats and dogs against rabies.
Dr. Patrick Barasa, the Busia District Veterinary Officer says that their target is to vaccinate 8,000 cats and dogs.
The district registered 10 cases of rabies from Busitema, Dabani, and Buhehe sub-counties between January and March this year. Rabies is a viral disease of mammals usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal.
The virus affects the central nervous of the mammal ultimately causing the disease in the brain and leading to death. Dr. Barasa says that cases of rabies disease are becoming rampant in the area due to the increased number of stray dogs and cats biting people. He says that they register between 4 to 8 cases of dog bites in a week.
Dr. Barasa says that they managed to pick samples from five dogs and submitted them to the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe where they tested positive for rabies.
Moreen Ajambo, a resident of Buhehe says that a stray dog bit her 8-year-old son, who tested positive for rabies at Masafu General Hospital. She appealed to relevant authorities to help them kill stray dogs loitering in the area.
Henry Mayende, a resident of Sikuda village, says that a stray dog bit his 28-year-old sibling while returning from the nearby trading center leading to his death. He explains that his brother only opened up about the dog bite when his situation deteriorated.
Peter Owino and Labani Wejuli who keep cats and dogs in Sikuda sub-county have welcomed the vaccination as timely, saying that many of them cannot afford to buy vaccines.
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