Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, has revealed that the country has witnessed 615 cases of rabies infections among individuals, resulting in 72 fatalities, from 2020 to 2023.
Dr Asiedu-Bekoe disclosed this at the launch of a National Rabies Prevention Campaign by the Vertinary Services Division of the GHS and its partners.
“The data from the DHMIS on suspected cases of rabies has shown an increase from 119 with 24 deaths in 2020 to 140 with 12 deaths in 2021, 203 with 26 deaths in 2022 and so far, 153 with 10 deaths in 2023.”
“Dog bite, which is a good proxy for rabies has also seen a similar trend with 15,296 cases in 2020, 16,364 cases in 2021, 16,644 cases in 2022 and 6,701 cases so far in 2023,” he said.
The launch was on the theme: “Prevent the Bite or Scratch! Vaccinate Your Dog! Stop Rabies Now!”
Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe highlighted the concerning increase in rabies cases from 2020, with the majority of infections recorded in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Eastern, and Upper East regions of Ghana.
He further noted that a significant proportion of rabies-related deaths occurred in children under the age of 15.
Ghana has responded to the global initiative of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies by 2030. To support this goal, the country has implemented a National Rabies Control and Prevention Action Plan for the period of 2018-2030. This plan serves as a roadmap for achieving the target.
However, Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe revealed that the country’s progress in implementing the action plan has been hindered by various challenges.
These include recurrent outbreaks of public health diseases, inadequate sustainable funding for public health, low vaccination coverage of dogs, and the presence of stray dogs.
Despite these challenges, Ghana has made notable progress in enhancing risk communication activities, raising awareness among healthcare workers, and adopting a stepwise approach towards rabies elimination. This approach helps identify gaps and develop strategies to address them.
On his part, Registrar of the Veterinary Council of Ghana, Dr. Kingsley Mickey Aryee, stated that the vaccination coverage of dogs in the country is alarmingly low, with only 8.5 percent of dogs being vaccinated nationwide.
He emphasized the urgent need for increased awareness campaigns and sensitization to encourage dog owners, particularly those with stray dogs, to annually vaccinate their pets. This proactive approach is essential to curbing the spread of rabies and ultimately eradicating the disease in Ghana.
Dr. Aryee highlighted that rabies is a significant cause of preventable deaths worldwide, with a majority of fatalities occurring in developing nations.
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the nervous system and is commonly transmitted through bites or scratches from infected dogs. However, other animals like cats, bats, and foxes can also transmit the disease, particularly in areas where it is not endemic.
The symptoms of rabies can vary and may include fever, headache, excessive salivation, hydrophobia (fear of water), muscle spasms, paralysis, mental confusion, and ultimately, death. The onset of symptoms can vary depending on the location of the bite.
Efforts to raise awareness about the importance of dog vaccination and the prevention of rabies are crucial in safeguarding public health and reducing the incidence of this deadly disease.