Jinja, Uganda: The Government of Uganda, in partnership with Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (VSF) Germany, has launched a free mass rabies vaccination campaign in Jinja District, targeting more than 3,000 dogs and cats as part of a nationwide strategy to eliminate the deadly disease by 2030.
The campaign was officially launched on Tuesday, July 07, at Nakajjo Health Centre III in Buyengo Town Council, with authorities urging pet owners to present their animals for vaccination to curb rising cases of dog bites and rabies infections.
The exercise will focus on communities and schools in sugarcane-growing areas where officials say dog bite incidents have remained persistently high.
Jinja, Buikwe and Namisindwa districts were selected for the first phase of the programme due to their high burden of rabies cases, with plans to expand the initiative to other parts of the country.
Speaking during the launch, Dr. Naome Alowo, Programme Manager at VSF Germany Uganda, said the campaign combines mass vaccination with public education to break the transmission cycle of rabies.
“This is a campaign that is aimed at eliminating rabies across Uganda by 2030, and Jinja is one of the districts that we are supporting,” Dr. Alowo said. “We are vaccinating dogs and cats and raising community awareness about the dangers of rabies and how we can prevent it,” she added.
The campaign is funded by the Deutsche Postcode Lotterie and implemented jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), VSF Germany and Jinja District Local Government.
Besides vaccines, the programme has also supplied medicines for sick animals, visibility materials and surgical kits for spaying and neutering dogs as part of efforts to control the growing stray dog population.
Jinja District Veterinary Officer Dr. Florence Nahamya said the district has experienced increasing cases of dog bites over the years, particularly affecting children and livestock.
“Rabies has really been a very big problem in Jinja District. There have been many cases of dog bites affecting livestock and children,” Dr. Nahamya said.
She revealed that community sensitisation activities will include awareness campaigns in schools beginning Wednesday to educate pupils on rabies prevention and responsible interaction with animals.
The district hopes the combined approach of vaccination and public education will significantly reduce infections.
Leaders urge residents to participate
Assistant Resident District Commissioner Samuel Kawuta warned residents against neglecting their pets, reminding the public that rabies remains almost always fatal once clinical symptoms develop.
“Rabies is a very dangerous disease. It kills when a dog bites you. We are encouraging people to keep their dogs very well and to vaccinate them,” Kawuta said.
Meanwhile, Buyengo Town Council Deputy Mayor Agnes Kuguminkiriza, representing Mayor Samuel Mberenge, applauded the government and development partners for supporting the district.
She urged residents to fully embrace the campaign, warning that failure to comply with vaccination requirements could attract enforcement measures.
Kuguminkiriza also appealed to government to expedite the completion and staffing of Nakajjo Health Centre III to improve healthcare services within the community.
Officials confirmed that the mass vaccination exercise will officially commence today, Wednesday, July 8, with designated vaccination centres established across Jinja District.
Pet owners have been encouraged to present both dogs and cats for free vaccination as authorities intensify efforts to eliminate rabies in line with Uganda’s national target of ending dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030.
Health and veterinary officials stressed that responsible pet ownership, routine vaccination and community cooperation remain the most effective tools for preventing rabies transmission.
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