Godwin Udoh, Asaba
Delta State Government has flag off veterinary public health bid to eliminate scourge before the year 2030 with immunization 5,000 dogs across the state.
The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natureal Resources, Mr Julius Egbede, disclosed to newsmen in Asaba, the state capital while flagging off the yearly free immunization programme against rabies in dogs and cats in Asaba
According to Egbedi, one of the policy thrust of the state government is the promotion of public health.
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“The Governor Ifeanyi Okowa led administration has made funds available annually for various veterinary public health activities which includes prevention of animal diseases like rabies in dogs, African Swine Fever in pigs, Avian influenza in birds and pest des petite ruminants in goats.
“Most of these diseases are endemic in Nigeria with outbreaks the records up to 100 per cent mortality once contracted.
“Rabies is a contagious and highly fatal zoonotic disease of dogs, cats, man and other animals which infection is through bite and silica of infected dog or certain specie of wild bat.”.
He, however, called on the dogs and cats owners to promptly immunize their pets and to report any case of dog bites immediately to the veterinary offices across the state for immediate attention to prevent deaths.
Speaking earlier, Dr Charles Diai, Director of Veterinary Services in the ministry, said that the flag-off was an annual programme of the state government targeted at eliminating rabies and other related animal disease before year 2030.
He noted that the World’s Rabies Day is celebrated on September 28 annually which the state also takes part in to sensitize the the general public on the vicious killer disease.
“The essence is to prevent rabies, a killer disease that affects human being and if everybody vaccinates their dogs and cats against rabies the, owner of the dog, the community and the whole state will be free from rabies.
“Our target this year is to vaccinate over 5,000 dogs across the state against rabies; as at last year, we have been able to immunize 3, 620 dogs but we are targeting a higher number as the year go on with a view to eliminate the disease.
“So, I want to use this opportunity to call on all dog and cat owners to take advantage of these free immunization to keep their pets free from rabies and ensure the elimination of the disease in the state,” he said.
Some of the dog owners who spoke with our correspondent, thanked the state government for the free immunization programme while calling on others to take the advantage of the gesture to immunize their pets.
Mr Stanley Onyekaonwu, said that his dog (Boer Bull) had at various occasion bitten his visitors, adding that the dog had been vaccinated yearly against rabies.
According to him, it will cost him on about N5,000 to give a full dose of the vaccine yearly on the dog.
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“We appreciate the government for the gesture and we extend the call to other dogs owners to take advantage of this free vaccination”.
The highpoint was the vaccination of the dogs by the commissioner, permanent secretary in the ministry, Sir Austin Oghoro, and the Federal Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Felix Kehis.
The free vaccination which commenced on Monday will end on Nov.ember 30 across the the state.