Rabies infected dog
SULLEY FUSEINI, Acting Bawku Municipal Veterinary Officer, has expressed worry that cases of rabies might increase in the area as a result of a shortage of anti-rabies vaccines.
He said the vaccines used for the animals against the disease and those used to cure persons bitten by infected animals were all out of stock.
Mr. Fuseini in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Bawku recently said vaccination against the disease was an annual exercise, but nothing of this sort had taken place this year due to an acute shortage of the vaccines.
He explained that animals such as dogs, cats and monkeys that carried the disease were human pets and could easily transmit the dangerous disease to people.
Mr. Fuseini called on government and other stakeholders to stock the office with the vaccines and related drugs to prevent the disease from spreading.
He also said that the new castle (bird disease) and anthrax (animal disease) were predominant in the area and that about 56,826 birds and 16,000 cattle were vaccinated against the diseases.
Mr. Fuseini said that the Bawku Municipal Veterinary Office had recorded 16 cases of new castle and two cases of anthrax two years ago, and added that the diseases took two human lives in the area.
He called on government and other development partners to help strengthen the Veterinary Services Department in the country to enable it discharge its duties effectively.
