NORTHERN Mindanao agriculture department is set to expand its vaccination activities against rabies for pet animals, especially dogs, as it moves to eradicate the disease in the region in three years.
On Monday last week, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) handed over a total of 2,700 vials of anti-rabies vaccine to the different veterinary provincial offices in the region.
This is in line with its Animal Health Program and annual observance of World Rabies Day (WRD), according to regional executive director Carlene Collado.
Collado even said preparations are underway for massive anti-rabies vaccination in all provinces in the region.
The move is aimed to cover more areas and all pet dogs of households in coordination with the barangays, according to Collado.
With regional technical director for operations Carlota S. Madriaga, Collado handed over vials of anti-rabies to the veterinary offices of Misamis Oriental (1,000 vials), Cagayan de Oro City (700 vials), and Lanao del Norte (1,000 vials).
DA-RFO 10 livestock program focal person Ma. Lourdes Sypiecco said they are targeting to cover around 27,000 dogs for the year-round activity.
“One vial can be used to more or less 10 dogs, so for these [provisions], around 27,000 dogs can be vaccinated,” Sypiecco said.
On-site vaccinations are being done to animals at the provincial, municipal, city, or barangay levels, while some administer them in their respective veterinary offices for their walk-in and nearby clients owning animals or pets.
Misamis Oriental veterinary office agricultural center Chief Efren Melner S. Viloria said DA has always been supportive in helping to eradicate rabies in the province through providing assistance which could cater to the needs of animals and pet owners.
Cagayan de Oro City veterinarian Dr. Lucien Anthony Acac said the support of DA brands a step closer to ending rabies and safeguarding the community, as a whole.
On top of the received anti-rabies vaccines, the Lanao del Norte veterinary office has also been given with 1,800 syringes which will be utilized in administering rabies vaccinations of the province.
“With the conduct of the ongoing mass vaccination for dogs in the province, we also highlighted the responsibility and raised the awareness of the pet owners on how fatal, but preventable the virus is,” Lanao del Norte veterinary office worker Ken Harvey A. Luna said.
For this year, the world rabies day celebration centered on the theme “End Rabies: Collaborate, Vaccinate,” where it highlights the aim of zero human deaths by 2030. (Angie Cabig/JohnCarl R. Anito/DA-10)
