Uganda declares war on rabies: Victory in sight by 2030

_________________

OPINION

By Dr Aminah Namwabira

Rabies remains one of the deadliest viral diseases to humans, claiming over 59,000 lives worldwide each year, many of them being children below 15 years of age.

In Uganda, the threat is real. Between 2021 and 2024, over 67,000 animal bites and 190 human deaths were reported by the Ministry of Health, while more than 3,000 suspected rabid dogs and 356 dog deaths were recorded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.

With 99% of human rabies cases linked to bites from infected dogs, the government has placed mass dog vaccination at the forefront of its new National Rabies Elimination Strategy 2025-2030, aiming at wiping out the disease from the animal population and protecting human lives.

Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, life-threatening disease that affects both animals and humans. It is caused by the rabies virus, which is transmitted to humans through the saliva of infected animals, especially dogs and cats, typically via bites or scratches.

While bites are the most common, rabies can also be transmitted if infected saliva gets into an open wound, eyes, nose or mouth. After the virus enters the body, it moves to the brain, causing it to swell.

Early symptoms of rabies include fever, pain, unexplained tingling and burning sensations at the bite site. Later, it can cause brain problems like confusion, too much saliva, muscle jerks and paralysis. Once symptoms of rabies develop, the disease is almost always fatal.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, together with the Ministry of Health, have developed a strategy to eliminate dog-mediated rabies in Uganda by 2030. This strategy is aligned with the international strategy by the World Organisation for Animal Health, the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations for the elimination of dog-mediated rabies from the entire world.

The strategies to be employed by the Ugandan government include: phased vaccination of 70% of the estimated 1,500,000 dogs and cats every year, education and sensitisation of at least 80% of the general population, prevention of human death through timely and affordable access to post exposure prophylaxis, strengthening surveillance and response, dog population control and improving laws and rules for rabies control.

To achieve the successful elimination of dog-mediated rabies in Uganda, every individual has a role to play. Keep your dogs and cats at home or on a leash, not allowing them to roam freely or mix with wild animals. Make sure your dogs and cats are vaccinated against rabies regularly and keep the vaccination certificates safe and up to date.

Report dogs behaving in a strange manner to the nearby veterinary authorities, teach children about the dangers of rabies, how to avoid animal bites and the importance of pet vaccination, take part in vaccination campaigns and support veterinary authorities during humane control of the dog population within your community. Once bitten by a dog or cat, immediately wash the wound with soap and water, seek medical care right away, even if the bite seems small and report the bite to the nearby veterinary authorities.

The war against rabies is not just a government responsibility; it requires the participation of every Ugandan. With a clear national strategy in place and partner support, the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies is within reach.

By vaccinating pets, reporting suspected cases, sensitising communities and ensuring timely access to treatment, Uganda can become a model for rabies elimination in Africa. Now is the time to act, for the health of our people, safety of our communities, and the future of a rabies-free Uganda.

The writer is a Field Epidemiology Fellow with the Uganda Public Health Fellowship Programme, hosted at Department of Integrated Epidemiology, Surveillance and Public Health Emergencies, Ministry of Health.