BLANTYRE, Sept 18: Malawi, which reports 150 rabid cases every year, plans to vaccinate 500,000 pets—dogs and cats– to prevent rabies which mercilessly kills its victims.
At a launch of a vaccine campaign in Ntcheu by the Department of Livestock Development, Agriculture minister Allan Chiyembekeza told Mana that the government had procured enough drugs for half-a-million pets.
The campaign will run from September 17 to October 16 across the country, after that those willing to have their pets vaccinated will have to pay K3,000 per pet, the minister said.
District Medical Officer for Ntcheu, Dr. Bitiel Banda said treating rabid patients is expensive as total treatment dose costs K25,000.00.
“The best way to prevent rabies is to vaccinate all pets and avoid eating carcasses of animals that die of any disease,” he said. Ntcheu alone has 60,000 dogs–Maravipost.
