Ondangwa rolls out emergency rabies vaccination campaign

By: Maria Namupala

The Ondangwa Town Council in collaboration with the Directorate of Veterinary Services, has launched an urgent vaccination campaign, following a confirmed positive case of rabies in Ondangwa Extension 4.

The council’s public relations officer Petrina Shitalangaho-Mutikisha said to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread, local authorities are launching a targeted mass vaccination campaign starting Wednesday.

Shitalangaho-Mutikisha strongly urged residents residing in Extensions 2, 3, 4, 6, and surrounding areas to bring all dogs and cats for mandatory rabies vaccination, regardless of whether the animals have been previously vaccinated.

Shitalangaho-Mutikisha further added that to ensure maximum coverage across the affected neighbourhoods, mobile vaccination units will also operate within the targeted areas, and residents are requested to extend full cooperation to field technicians.

Residents are urged to report any instances of animal bite incidents or unusual, or aggressive animal behaviour to health and veterinary authorities without delay; they must as well avoid approaching stray, unfamiliar, or aggressive animals.

According to the Chief Animal Health Technician Simon Nalushiya, rabies is a severe, deadly viral disease affecting both animals and humans, and once clinical symptoms develop, the disease is almost always fatal making immediate preventative action critical for the entire community.

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