Dog-bite cases on a rise in Kyotera

HEALTH 

KYOTERA- In just four months, Kyotera district has registered more than 62 dog-bite cases. The plight is attributed to an influx of stray dogs in different communities.

The life-threatening matter ensues at the time when government health facilities are grappling with acute stock out of anti-rabies vaccines.

According to the health and district authorities, the situation leaves residents exposed to a high risk of contracting rabies and a fatal infectious viral disease.

The most recent case is of William Luboobi, a 50-year-old resident of Byerima village in Kirumba sub-county, who got mauled by a pack of stray dogs on Friday last week.

Luboobi lost several teeth and was gravely wounded in the process. He was rushed to Kalisizo hospital for medical attention but there were no anti-rabies vaccines in place.

According to Richard Bantubalamu, the Hospital administrator, they have registered 62 cases since May.

He added that the 50 anti-rabies doses which the National Medical Stores (NMS) supplied them were finished within a few weeks due to the increasing number of cases.

Bantubalamu explained that due to lack of the vaccines, patients and caretakers are advised to buy doses from the private facilities.

"The vaccine costs sh20,000 at the hospital and between sh40,000 to sh50,000 in private facilities. A patient is required to have a minimum of three doses," he said.

"The burden of treating rabies is becoming heavy every day."

Jane Francis Kisitu, the Officer in charge of Uganda National Extended Programme for Immunisation (UNEPI) in Kyotera, said that they received 24 patients in May, 9 in June, 28 in July and currently one.

She explained that they usually get 40 to 50 doses in four months' time but its not enough due to the increasing cases.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), rabies is almost fatal upon the onset of clinical symptoms.

A survey conducted by the Kalisizo town council authorities in 2018 indicated that there were more than 800 stray dogs in the town council alone.

Dr. Kiwanuka Kimbugwe, the Kyotera District Veterinary Officer (DVO), said almost 85% of the dogs in the district have no ownership and are not vaccinated.

He added that there are over 20,000 stay dogs in Kyotera alone.

"A rabid dog can attack and bite about 10 people before it dies," he said.

In order to reduce the problem, Kimbugwe advised dog owners to vaccinate, feed and register their dogs for close monitoring and avoid risks of contracting rabies.

He also cautioned the public to desist consuming meat of an animal which has been mauled by dogs because it becomes infected after the attack.

UVA Reacts

In 2018, Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA), unveiled a multi-pronged approach to reach different audiences at the same time in a bid to control, prevent and eventually, eliminate rabies by the deadline of 2030.

Dr. Sylvia Angubau Baluka, the UVA President, told the New Vision that the COVID-19 pandemic interfered their country-wide programs to sensitise people against rabies.

Baluka said that rabies has continually killed people especially children.

She explained that stray dogs usually cross the border and infect those that are already vaccinated, which frustrates the efforts to eliminate the disease.

"We are intensifying our collaboration with the neighbouring countries to fight rabies since dogs take advantage of the porous borders to cross to either side," she added.

The WHO estimates 55,000 rabies deaths every year in the world while the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, estimates a total of 70,000 deaths, with 10 million treated for bites from potentially infected dogs.

Maria Ssemusu Nassejje, the Chairperson of the Kyotera Production Committee,  appealed to the ministry of health  to restock enough doses to treat the ill-fated residents.