Aweil authorities start vaccination of dogs to curb rabies

Authorities in Northern Bahr El Ghazal’s ministry of animal resources, fisheries and tourism have started vaccination of dogs in a bid to prevent rabies following recent spike in dog bites.

Samuel Ajing Uguak, the director general in the state ministry of animal resources, fisheries and tourism said a team of vaccinators arrived from the capital Juba to help undertake vaccination of dogs.

 This comes as the state joined the rest of the world to celebrate World Rabies Day which is annually marked on September 28. Northern Bahr El Ghazal chose to celebrate World Rabies Day on November 8 this year.

Ajing said that all dogs including those in homesteads will be vaccinated.

“We are only targeting the dogs with rightful owners,” he told journalists in Aweil town on Tuesday.

Ajing also admitted that stray dogs have led to several people to succumb to rabies.

He said they are partnering one health organization a local NGO to carry out free vaccination of dogs.

Peter Kaye Tuut, the secretary of one health organization said they will be vaccinating dogs at Aweil Freedom Square, adding that they have set up six immunization centers across all the counties in the state.

He said they are collaborating with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO), World Health Organization( WHO) and the state Ministry of Health to prevent rising cases of rabies in the state.