Rabies Elimination in Nigeria: leveraging proven strategies.
Abstract
Rabies in Nigeria has remained an endemic disease ever since its first
case in 1912. Though several prevention and control programs have been
done to see to its elimination, rabies continues to thrive in Nigeria
with about 1640 human rabies cases recorded annually. As Nigeria
continues to struggle with rabies elimination, certain countries like
Jamaica, Japan, Australia, Mexico, Hawaii, and Belgium have completely
eradicated rabies and are considered rabies-free. Hence, to successfully
eliminate rabies, Nigeria needs to take lessons from these rabies-free
countries and put into action all that they did to achieve this feat.
Achieving herd immunity through the vaccination of 70% of the dog
population is a potent way to ensure the elimination of rabies. To scale
up dog vaccination in Nigeria, Nigerian lawmakers need to come up with a
law similar to Japan’s Rabies Prevention Act, that binds all dog owners
to the compulsory registration and vaccination of their dogs in a
veterinary hospital such that disobeying comes with a punishment. Also,
philanthropic organizations in Nigeria need to invest in the production
of these PEPs by pharmaceutical companies. In ensuring a perfectly
functional quarantine station, the government needs to employ more
qualified and licensed veterinarians in accordance with Article 3.2.5 of
the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code which states that “there should
not be an over-reliance on veterinary paraprofessionals but qualified
experienced field veterinarians should be employed to conduct disease
monitoring”.