…Warns of Deadly but Preventable Disease

The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Rivers State Chapter, has intensified its campaign against rabies, warning that the deadly disease can only be effectively tackled through sustained collaboration among veterinary professionals, medical practitioners, government, communities, schools, security agencies and animal owners.

The association gave the warning as it marked the 2026 World Rabies Day with a state-level symposium at Rivers State University, followed by an awareness and free dog vaccination campaign in Bonny Local Government Area the following day.

The activities, held under the global theme, “Stronger Together,” with the Rivers chapter’s sub-theme, “Stronger Together, Saving Lives,” focused on strengthening public awareness, responsible animal ownership, vaccination and cooperation between animal and human health professionals.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the NVMA in Rivers State, Dr Gloria Daminabo, said the fight against rabies required more than the efforts of one profession, stressing that every stakeholder had a role to play in preventing deaths from the disease.

Daminabo, while welcoming participants to the symposium, said rabies remained a deadly but preventable disease and called for stronger collaboration among veterinarians, health professionals, government agencies, educators, communities and responsible animal owners.

According to her, vaccination, surveillance, public education, responsible ownership of animals and prompt management of exposure were essential measures in reducing the burden of rabies.

She said the symposium was designed not only to deepen knowledge about rabies but also to turn discussions into practical action that would protect residents of Rivers State.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof. B.B. Fakae said rabies remained one of the oldest and deadliest zoonotic diseases known to humanity, noting that once clinical symptoms appeared, the disease was almost invariably fatal.

Fakae, however, pointed out that the tragedy of rabies was that it was preventable, with effective vaccines available for both humans and animals.

He identified inadequate healthcare delivery, professional silos and poor community awareness as some of the gaps undermining efforts to control the disease.

The former Vice-Chancellor of then Rivers State University of Science and Technology said the scale of the rabies problem in Africa demanded a coordinated response, noting that thousands of people die annually from the disease, with children among the most affected.

He particularly stressed the need to strengthen veterinary services in Rivers State, arguing that adequate numbers of veterinary doctors were necessary to protect both animal and human health.

Fakae said the fight against rabies should be approached through the One Health model, which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health.

“When we walk in silos, rabies thrives. When we walk together, rabies retreats,” he said, stressing that protecting an animal through vaccination could equally mean protecting a child or other members of the community.

He explained that a veterinarian vaccinating a dog in a rural community was not merely protecting an animal but also reducing the risk of transmission to people, while prompt treatment of bite victims could prevent a potentially fatal outcome.

The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Mercy Dagobu Iboroma, also called for sustained collaboration among government, veterinary and health professionals, schools, communities and pet owners.

Iboroma said the state government recognised the importance of functional veterinary services to animal health, public health and agriculture, adding that measures were being pursued to strengthen services at the State Veterinary Hospital and Diagnostic Centre.

She commended the NVMA for extending the 2026 World Rabies Day activities beyond the symposium to schools and communities through awareness campaigns and dog vaccination.

The Bonny outreach on Friday provided a practical demonstration of the association’s call for collective action.

Led by Daminabo and the Chairman of the World Rabies Day Committee, Dr Ibitoye Timothy, the NVMA team paid a courtesy visit to the Bonny Local Government Council before proceeding to the Industrial Unit Field for the community outreach.

The team was received on behalf of the Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Abinye Pepple, by the Supervisor for Health and Environment, Hayford Banigo.

Community members, dog owners and students from three secondary schools participated in the programme, which featured education on rabies, responsible dog ownership and safe behaviour around dogs.

The awareness session was followed by free vaccination of dogs against rabies.

Free vaccination of dogs in Bonny Island