MONROVIA: Montserrado County Health Officer, Dr. Yatta Sackie Wapoe has alarmed over increase of suspected cases of rabies in Liberia.
Rabies is a contagious and fatal viral disease of dogs and other mammals that causes madness and convulsions, transmissible through the saliva to humans.
Dr. Wapoe speaking during the weekend at ceremonies marking the observance of World Rabies Day in Paynesville said, 458 cases of rabies have been reported in 2019 with a huge number of those cases mostly from young people.
Dr. Wapoe noted that out of 458 cases reported, Health workers managed to serve 314 people while 109 were not served due to inadequate vaccines at some health facilities.
She stressed that children between ages 6-15 years and 16-30 years mostly come in contact with rabies.
The Montserrado County Health Officer called on parents to advise their children not to come in close contact dogs to avoid contact of the virus.
We as members of the County health team usually visit the various committees and encourage residents to seek health whenever they are exposed to animal bite with what eve animal.
This is because we observed that a cat was tested positive of rabies in Liberia.
Also speaking at the program, World Health Organization Country Representative, Sam Gebeh called for more awareness if rabies must be eradicated or controlled.
Our actions should remain centered on the one health platform where there exist an approach to address the disease in a holistic manner.
It is also a full responsibility of each and every Liberian citizen to support the reduction and response to dogs’ transmitted rabies.
The Deputy Director-General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia, Dr. Mosoka Fallah also said rabies can be kicked out of Liberia if the Montserrado County Health team works closely with the NPHIL.
Dr. Fallah added that National Public Health Institute has eliminated other sicknesses that were more challenging than rabies.
We came together as one people and defeated the deadly EBOLA virus in 2014; and we can do the same with the reported spread of rabies now in the Country.
Rabies is a disease that is preventable, it also a fatal disease that we can eradicate as soon as possible with preventive measures being taken by citizens.
In 2018, Canine Rabies was officially confirmed in Liberia by authorities of the One Health coordination platform.
The confirmation came following public health action taken by health authorities and investigation in affected communities.
One Health Coordination Platform is a combination of the Ministry of Agriculture, Health, Commerce, Forestry Development Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, National Disaster Management Agency, National Public Health Institute of Liberia and development partners.
According to one health platform, preliminary testing conducted at Ministry of Agriculture Central Veterinary Reference Laboratory has identified the virus common among dogs in Liberia.
