In a bid to cut down cases of rabies in Gulu, at least 35,000 dogs have been vaccinated in the district in the last four years, according to statistics from the Gulu veterinary office.
Rabies is a viral disease that causes inflammation of the brain in warm-blooded animals.
The virus infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death.
Early symptoms of rabies in people are similar to that of many other illnesses, including fever, headache, and general weakness or discomfort.
A full dose of rabies vaccine goes for between 150, 000 to 200, 000 thousand shillings, a cost beyond the ability of many families in northern Uganda.
Statistics from the Gulu district veterinary department indicates that at least four victims die as a result of rabies amid due to lack of vaccine each year.
The Big Fix Uganda, an indigenous organisation which offers veterinary services in northern Uganda, said between five to six cases of dogs bites are reported in Gulu each day.
Dr Wilfred Opira, a veterinary doctor with The Big Fix Uganda says since 2012, they have vaccinated at least 30,000 dogs and cats, in the sixteen Sub Counties in Gulu district.
Dr Opira explained that the main aim of the exercise is to protect humans especially from bites by dogs which sometimes result into transmission of rabies.
Dr Opira said since the vaccination exercise begun, cases of rabies have significantly dropped in Gulu to one case a month.
The Gulu District Veterinary Officer (DVO), Dr. Tonny Aliro recently said on average they receive at least five cases of dog bites each day.
The most affected county is Aswa where majority of the dog-bite victims are children of school goin
Gulu is estimated to have a population of 80,000 dogs while human population is 415,000 according to the 2014 figures from the Uganda Bureau of Standards (UBOS).
Most families rarely vaccinate their pet such as dogs since veterinary services are costly.
1 Comment
Kong wubed ki lok ni “vaccine” do. Yub ma tye i kom lwak kenyo pe ber. Katwere myero kibed ka nywakko tam ki dactari megwa ma gitye i lobo mawoko bene wa ki ma gang. Wun wuneno kit ma two tye ka nya kwede mapat pat ku? Dok wubedo karweyo wel dano ma tye pi ngo?
Pii ducu me amata myero kited woko dok kiluru pii me amata. Wang it weng myero kigong ngetgi dok kipimo pii it me nenno ka ce kwiddi mo tye iiye kare ki kare.