Brong Ahafo records 15 rabbies cases in 2014
The Brong-Ahafo Region Veterinary Service last year recorded 15 rabies cases, Dr. Saviour Denueme, the Regional Veterinary Officer, said on Tuesday in Sunyani.
Dr. Denueme told the GNA in an interview that the Region recorded eight rabies cases in 2013.
He said one person died of the disease in 2014 while on admission at the Techiman Holy Family Hospital for delay in seeking treatment.
Dr Denueme said the unit received 113 dog bite cases from health facilities in the Region and out that number 15 were rabies positive.
He appealed to public to seek treatment immediately after dog bite and explained that if handled with care victims would not develop rabies symptoms that could eventually lead to death.
He said the Unit last year vaccinated 20,161 dogs, 768 cats and 24 monkeys in the Region and appealed to people keeping dogs as pets to vaccinate them against rabies.
Dr. Denueme said “rabies is preventable and can be eliminated totally from the country as any other disease if there is continuous vaccination of dogs for three conservative years”.
He appealed to the government and organizations to sponsor free anti rabies vaccinations to protect the public and to kick rabies out of the country.
Dr. Denueme suggested the need for a law to be enacted to clear all stray dogs from the streets and from the communities.
He said the Service’s main challenge was lack of equipment at the Regional laboratory to carry out major investigations and sometimes had to rely on a laboratory at Techiman.
Source: GNA