The Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly has commemorated the 2021 World Rabies Day with free vaccination of dogs.
Dr Danso Fenteng, National Head of Epidemiology, said rabies was a global problem with annual estimated human death of 55,000 with 56 percent of the death recorded in Africa.
He said half of the world’s population was living in canine rabies-endemic areas and were at risk of contracting rabies, a situation he described as worrying.
The Kpone-Katamanso commemoration of Rabies Day was also characterized by a drama performance by students from Rising Star School and Culture Centre, which conveyed information about the dangers of rabies, prevention of dog and cat bites and how to take care of pets through routine vaccination.
Dr Danso said Ghana had recorded 27 outbreaks of rabies this year out of which Kpone-Katamanso had ten cases, saying that there was an upsurge of rabies in dogs and humans after the free anti-rabies immunization campaign funded by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), which was implemented by the Veterinary Service Department in 1998.
Dr Esther Priscilla Biamah-Danquah, Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Health Director, said the Municipality had over the years recorded increasing cases of dog bites since 2016.
In 2018, 271 cases of dog bites were recorded, rising in 2019 to 289 cases and 243 cases in 2020.
The Municipality had recorded 135 cases between January and August this year.
She said since September 2020, six rabies cases among dogs were confirmed with 36 contacts among humans traced and one death recorded.
Dr Richard Suu-ire, President of Rabies in West Africa, Ghana (RIWA-GH) said World Rabies Day was celebrated annually on September 28 to raise awareness about rabies prevention and to highlight progress in defeating the diseases.
He said the date was chosen to mark the anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur, the French Chemist and microbiologist, the first person to successfully create a vaccine against rabies.
He added that this year’s theme: “Rabies: Facts, not Fear” focused on the facts about rabies and dismissing myths and misconceptions around the disease, saying that facts were the only way to beat fake news about rabies.
He, therefore, charged the public to share accurate facts and ensure that decisions about rabies control in the country were based on the correct and most up-to-date information.
Dr Suu-ire said RIWA, GH is a Non-Governmental voluntary organization raising awareness about the control of rabies in Ghana with the “One Health” approach.