Picture: A dog infected by rabies/Google
By BAKANG MOKOTO
The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development launched an intensive rabies public awareness and vaccination campaign across the province. The launch commenced on 1 September 2024, and throughout the month, state veterinarians and veterinary animal health technicians, in collaboration with the South African Animal Health Association (SAAHTA), will be vaccinating dogs and cats against the deadly rabies disease.
The North West MEC for Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Madoda Samabatha said the campaign will reach its peak on 28 September 2024, which will mark the 18th World Rabies Day. Sambatha said this year’s commemoration will be observed under the theme: “Breaking Rabies Boundaries”.
“This theme takes centre stage as the urgency to break barriers and limitations that hinder the fight against the deadly disease remains the department’s priority.
“We have taken a stern action to drive awareness of rabies and to achieve the goal of eliminating the disease. There are numerous boundaries that prevent us from achieving zero infections and transmissions,” he said.
Sambatha further said this has therefore become their priority as a department to break those barriers by ensuring that they join forces with all the necessary stakeholders, including pet owners to prevent the disease and transmissions thereof. He added that their state veterinary clinics, vets and animal health technicians, are ready at times to serve the people and give recommendations to the public when needed.
“During this month, I encourage all pet owners to make use of the free vaccination and deworming services that are offered at various designated venues in all four districts.
“It is everyone’s responsibility, particularly pet owners to ensure that they closely observe their pets for symptoms of the disease,” said Sambatha.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Director for Veterinary Services, Dr Langa Madyibi, advised that behavioural changes in pets like, aggressiveness, dumbness, paralysis or partially paralysis, or excessive salivation should be taken seriously and that owners should have their pets diagnosed and treated by a qualified animal health professional.
“Rabies is a preventable Zoonotic viral disease, which is found in domestic and wild animals, and occasionally in humans. It is transmitted from animals to humans/animals through bites by infected animals.
“The rabies virus is found in the saliva of an infected animal. A human can be infected through broken skin or mucous membranes coming into contact with the infected animal,” he said.
The Guardian 