Bulacan lines up activities for Rabies Awareness Month

 

CITY OF MALOLOS- In accordance with Executive Order No. 84, series of 1999 declaring March as Rabies Awareness Month, the Provincial Government of Bulacan has lined up activities to provide proper knowledge on the prevention and management of the said disease.

Anchored on the theme “Bakunadong Pusa’t Aso sa Rabis Protektado, Sama-sama nating Labanan ang Rabis,” the PGB through the Provincial Veterinary Office will kick off the observance come March 9, 2015 in front of the Capitol Building in this city.

Gov. Wilhelmino M.Sy-Alvarado said that in preparation for the celebration, the PVO conducted rabies information education campaign regarding responsible pet ownership, dog bite management and current status of rabies for the Lingkod Lingap sa Nayon that started last February 17 and will last until April 10, 2015.

“Rabies is dangerous, it kills but it is highly avoidable. Ugaliin nating maging mga responsible pet owner, pabakunahan ang mga alaga and stay away from stray dogs at kapag nakagat na magpabakuna agad, tandaan natin lagi na prevention is better than cure” Alvarado said.

Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Voltaire Basinang said that aside from the IEC, they also gave 19, 940 doses equivalent to the number of dogs vaccinated in San Miguel and San Ildefonso last February 10 and 11 this year.

“Sa mga lugar na ito kasi tayo nakakita ng mga nag-positibo sa virus kaya nagsagawa tayo ng pagbabakuna hanggang sa 3 km radius area. We also conducted a massive anti-rabies vaccination in Brgy. Muzon, City of San Jose del Monte nito lang March 3. Katulong natin sa pagbabakuna dito ‘yung mga barangay tanod at volunteers na na-train natin,” Basinang added.

He also said that part of the lined up activities is the Veterinary Medical Mission to be held in San Ildefonso on March 27, 2015 wherein they will conduct free castration, vaccination, consultation, deworming, and mange (galis) treatment and will distribute free vitamins for the dogs.

According to the Bureau of Animal Industry, dogs are man’s best friend but once these pets become threat to human lives, they can be dreadful foes and a dog bite infected with rabies is a death sentence.

Records from the PVO state that in 2014, 25 dog heads were verified positive with rabies while based on the Provincial Public Health Office reports there were 12 people who died of rabies.

The rabies virus is transmitted in most all cases through saliva transferred through a bite or in some cases a scratch. The rabies virus affects the central nervous system (CNS), ultimately leading to brain disease and death.