The Chief Veterinary Officer for the Bolgatanga Municipality, Eric Agongo, has raised serious concerns about the alarmingly low rate of dog vaccinations in the Upper East Region, warning that it could fuel the spread of rabies among communities.
Speaking on A1 Radio, Mr. Agongo noted that despite government efforts to subsidize the cost of rabies vaccines by 50 percent in the five regions of the North, the response from dog owners remains critically low.
“In the Upper East Region, vaccination rates do not even exceed 15 percent,” he revealed. “It is quite scary when we consider the rate of rabies in the region.”
He explained that the regional veterinary department has set an annual vaccination target of 70 percent to control the disease, but the wide gap of about 55 percent remains a major public health concern.
According to Mr. Agongo, many dog owners neglect the health needs of their pets, often failing to prioritize routine vaccinations.
“People do not have time for their dogs and do not care about their health needs,” he lamented.
Rabies, a deadly viral disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans, poses a serious threat to public safety, especially in areas with low vaccination coverage.
Mr. Agongo urged community members to take advantage of the subsidized vaccines to protect both their animals and themselves.
“If we want to save lives, we must vaccinate. Rabies is fatal, but it is preventable,” he stressed.
The Veterinary Services Department, he added, will continue sensitization efforts across the region but called for greater cooperation from the public to achieve the desired 70 percent vaccination rate and avert a potential health crisis.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com | 101.1 MHz | Moses Apiah | Bolgatanga
