Iloilo gears up for massive dog vaccination

ILOILO – The provincial government, through the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), is gearing up for the kick-off of its massive dog vaccination anti-rabies campaign set to run from February to April this year.

Rabies is a fatal viral disease that affects the central nervous system of mammals, including humans, and is primarily transmitted through the bite or scratch of an infected animal. Preventive vaccination is crucial to control its spread and protect public health.

Dr. Darel Tabuada, head of the PVO, said P9-million worth of vaccines have been procured, totalling approximately 21,000 vials. These vaccines can immunize 210,000 dogs across the province.

The PVO aims to achieve at least 70% dog vaccination coverage for 2025 or exceed last year’s accomplishment, which saw 283,755 dogs vaccinated — 87.37% of the total dog population of 324,764.

“For this year’s rabies vaccination, we have procured the necessary vaccines, which have already been delivered to cold storage. These will be distributed to the municipalities on January 9 and 10,” said Tabuada in an interview with Panay News.

The campaign will officially begin on February 4, following a ceremonial kick-off in Lambunao.

Collaboration with LGUs

To ensure all 1,721 barangays of the province are covered, the PVO is urging 43 local government units (LGUs) to hire dog vaccinators to conduct the three-month campaign.

“We appeal to LGUs to hire vaccinators and shoulder their salaries for three months. The provincial government will provide the vaccines and syringes,” Tabuada added.

Significant Impact of Vaccination

According to Tabuada, the massive vaccination drive in 2024 significantly reduced rabies cases in the province. Out of 152 dog samples tested for rabies, only 47 were positive, while 105 tested negative. This was an improvement from 2023 when 57 dogs tested positive for rabies.

The PVO aims to further reduce rabies cases to single digits in the coming years. As part of this effort, the office is working to declare Concepcion as the first rabies-free municipality in Iloilo.

“All 11 island barangays of Concepcion have already been declared rabies-free, and we are targeting the 14 remaining mainland barangays to achieve the same status this year. This will serve as a model for other municipalities to follow,” Tabuada said.

The PVO envisions the entire province of Iloilo achieving rabies-free status by 2030.

2024 Vaccination Accomplishments

Here is the breakdown of dog vaccination accomplishments per municipality in 2024:

First District

* Guimbal (5,700), Igbaras (6,559), Miag-ao (8,751), Oton (15,049), San Joaquin (6,967), Tigbauan (10,307), and Tubungan (3,565)

Second District

* Alimodian (7,235), Leganes (5,348), Leon (7,330), New Lucena (4,168), Pavia (6,254), San Miguel (4,396), Santa Barbara (12,179), and Zarraga (5,605)

Third District

* Badiangan (3,224), Cabatuan (16,265), Calinog (8,227), Janiuay (8,454), Lambunao (10,721), Maasin (3,696), Mina (3,650), and Pototan (11,006)

Fourth District

* Anilao (2,985), Banate (5,935), Barotac Nuevo (5,283), Dingle (7,449), Dueñas (2,267), Dumangas (8,581), Passi City (12,801), and San Enrique (4,397).

Fifth District

* Ajuy (8,770), Balasan (3,011), Barotac Viejo (5,399), Batad (2,317), Carles (6,625), Concepcion (4,905), Estancia (8,270), Lemery (4,887), San Dionisio (4,056), San Rafael (1,240), and Sara (7,573)/PN

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