BY MARY JOY CAVAÑAS
ILOILO – The provincial government has revised its target and is now aiming for Iloilo to achieve rabies-free status by 2026, advancing the previous goal set for 2030.
Eliminating rabies is crucial for attracting tourists, with the province being developed as a tourist destination, said Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., acting chairman of the Provincial Rabies Control Committee.
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable zoonotic disease, most commonly transmitted through animal bites.
At its last quarterly meeting on Tuesday, the Provincial Rabies Prevention and Control Committee discussed ways to strengthen the Rabies Prevention and Control Program in the province. The committee’s objective is to address this public health issue by eradicating the disease.
To achieve this goal, the provincial government has called on local government units (LGUs) to:
* actively implement the existing provincial and municipal ordinances on rabies control
* maintain an active and functional rabies control committee
* strive for the highest rate of dog vaccinations
* expand Animal Bite Treatment Centers in Rural Health Units and district hospitals
The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported that dog mass vaccination coverage in the province reached 222,297 or 73.54% of the total dog population in the first three quarters of the year.
Although there was an increase in vaccinations, there were still 53 recorded cases of canine rabies positivity.
Additionally, the towns of Guimbal, New Lucena, and Carles each reported one human rabies death.
In recognition of effective rabies prevention and control, the provincial government will honor the Top 3 LGUs during the province’s Health Summit on Nov. 29.
The Department of Agriculture recently conducted validations for the Top 10 LGUs for 2023 that have demonstrated best practices in the national rabies prevention and control program. These include the towns of Oton, Pavia, Santa Barbara, Leganes, Dingle, Dumangas, Banate, Anilao, Ajuy, and Concepcion.
Moreover, Naborot, an island barangay in San Dionisio town, was declared rabies-free, joining 27 other areas in Iloilo that had previously achieved this status, as announced by PVO head Dr. Darel Tabuada last month.
Naborot has had no human or animal rabies cases in the past two years.
The PVO continues to urge pet owners to vaccinate their dogs as a responsible measure.
In the event of a bite, it is recommended to wash the injury thoroughly with soap and clean water, apply Betadine to stem bleeding, and visit animal bite centers for appropriate treatment, avoiding reliance on unlicensed practitioners./PN
