Twenty-six people have lost their lives to rabies out of 31 reported cases across nine regions in Ghana this year.
The Greater Accra Region recorded the highest number of fatalities with six, followed by the Central and North East regions, each reporting four deaths.
The Western Region saw three deaths, while Western North and Upper West recorded two each. The Eastern, Ashanti, and Upper East regions had one death each.
This information was disclosed by Dr. Emmanuel Allegye-Cudjoe, Chief Veterinary Officer at the Veterinary Department, during the launch of World Rabies Day (WBD) in Accra.
The event, held last Thursday under the theme “Breaking Rabies Boundaries,” is part of a global effort to raise awareness about rabies, a deadly disease that claims over 55,000 lives annually, with 56 percent of fatalities occurring in Africa.
Dr. Allegye-Cudjoe expressed concern over the increasing number of stray and unvaccinated dogs, particularly in urban areas such as Accra and Kumasi, where rabies cases have been most prevalent.
“In 2016, the number of human deaths from rabies had escalated to 57 from 25, recorded between 2009 and 2011. From 2020 to 2023, 793 suspected cases of human rabies were reported resulting in 77 deaths while by the end of 2023, 331 suspected cases were recorded with the Greater Accra Region accounting for 112 of the cases for the period,” he stated.
He emphasized that although rabies is preventable through vaccination, many cases stem from poor public awareness and negligence among pet owners who fail to vaccinate or properly confine their animals.
In preparation for the World Rabies Day on September 28, the Veterinary Department, in collaboration with stakeholders, is conducting a nationwide free or low-cost pet vaccination campaign. The campaign aims to increase rabies awareness through media outreach.
Dr. Allegye-Cudjoe revealed that the government has procured over one million rabies vaccines for this year’s exercise.
He added that experts are advocating for amendments to the Animal Health Bill 2020, which would enhance rabies control and improve overall animal welfare in the country.
“The government has obtained over one million doses of rabies vaccines for the exercise this year while experts are also pushing for the review of the Animal Act under the Animal Health Bill 2020 which will improve rabies control in the country and generally, how animals are handled”.
He urged the public to maintain cleanliness in their surroundings, report animal bites to veterinary clinics immediately, and ensure their pets receive regular vaccinations.
Dr. Benjamin Sasu, Risk Communications Officer for the Veterinary Services Department, announced that this year’s WBD activities will extend over six months to cover the entire country due to the rising cases of rabies.
“Our main goal is to eradicate rabies in Ghana, especially among children who are most vulnerable to dog bites and scratches so we intend to go to all the regions and engage in awareness creation activities in addition to the campaign which will include free pet vaccinations, educational outreach programmes in schools, social media campaigns, and public events like floats and marches.”
Communications Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), David Youngs,emphasized the need for swift action to address zoonotic diseases, which increasingly pose a threat to human health from animals and the environment.