Rabies remains national threat

Namibia launched its first-ever rabies awareness video during the commemoration of World Rabies Day.

The day takes place on 28 September with the objective of raising awareness and educating the public about the danger of rabies, which affects animals and humans.

Agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein said the disease remains a national and global threat with no cure and a fatality rate of almost 100% in humans and animals.

He said it kills approximately 59 000 people globally every year, and 40% of the human rabies deaths occur in children below 17 years old.

“However, rabies is also 100% preventable through mass vaccination of dogs.”



Vaccination effective

Schlettwein said dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths, contributing up to 99% of all rabies transmissions to humans. “It is a fact that rabies can affect both domestic and wild animals.”

He said the disease is spread to people and animals through dog bites or scratches, usually via saliva.

Vaccination of dogs is the most cost-effective strategy for preventing rabies virus transmission to people, and it reduces the need for the immediate treatment of someone bitten or scratched by a rabid animal.

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system of mammals such as dogs, cats and foxes, including humans.

The rabies virus is present in the saliva and brains of infected animals, most commonly dogs, and is transmitted by bite. The clinical signs may be nonspecific at first, but include abnormal behaviour, difficulty swallowing, excessive salivation, aggression and/or self-mutilation and biting.



National strategy

Schlettwein said in 2015 the ministry launched the national rabies control strategy, which was developed when the incidences of rabies in both humans and animals were on the increase.

The ministry is also implementing a rabies control programme countrywide, with a special programme dedicated to the eight regions of the northern communal areas that are regarded as rabies hotspot areas.

The purpose of this is to increase vaccination coverage to at least 70% in order to break the cycle of rabies virus transmission from dogs to humans and livestock.



Awareness boosted

According to Schlettwein, Namibia has achieved a significant reduction in human rabies deaths since 2016 from the average of 26 cases to five cases annually.

He said significant progress has also been made in controlling the disease in dogs and livestock.

“This has improved vaccination coverage and awareness campaigns across the NCAs, specifically where mass dog vaccination campaigns resulted in about 100 000 dogs and cats vaccinated in one year alone.”

Schlettwein said this success is attributed to strong national leadership and commitment, awareness creation, improved surveillance and dog bite case management in communities.

The Namibia rabies awareness video aims to mainly educate and raise awareness about this fatal disease countrywide.

“This awareness video signifies a pivotal milestone in our nation’s journey towards rabies elimination and showcases our dedication to this critical cause,” said Schlettwein.

He, however, said there is an urgent need for wider engagement of all key actors in order to accelerate cooperation among stakeholders in the control of dog-mediated human rabies nationwide.

Detailed planning of vaccination campaigns in consultation with local leaders remains crucial.