The Department of Health (DOH) together with other government agencies and members of the private sector have been consistently addressing rabies cases in the country. Different campaigns in the national and grassroots levels were rolled out to guarantee the success of the country’s goal to prevent fatality due to animal bites.
The DOH admittedly reported that rabies remains to be one of the utmost health concerns of the government as the country belongs to the top 10 nations that have high incidence of rabies cases.
Not only animals have rabies but even humans too.
Animals that have rabies include dogs, cats and bats among others. Rabies is a serious illness and is a killer. It is a viral infection that spreads through saliva and it can be fatal.
Symptoms of rabies include: flu-like symptoms such as fever, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, generalized body weakness, headache, and abdominal pain, which could last to about two to 12 days. These are followed by hyperactivity, excessive salivation, fear of water, confusion, hallucinations, bizarre behavior, and even partial paralysis
“Rabies is considered a neglected disease that is 100 percent fatal but 100 percent preventable.” Health Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial stressed this as the department reflects the global target to eliminate all human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2020.
Rabies cases
In 2015, a total of 783,879 animal bites across the country were registered in 2015. This is 10 percent higher than in 2014, which recorded a total of 683,802 cases of animal bites. The DOH records show that from 2010 -2016, a total of 1,713 human rabies deaths or average of 245 (range 200-300) every year while a total of 245 or 65 per year children below 15 years old were recorded for the same period.
The increase in the number of reported cases is attributed to the improved surveillance and services, which enabled anima bite patients to seek treatment at established public and/or private Animal Bite Treatment Centers (ABTC).
According to Dr. Ernesto Villalon III of the Rabies Prevention and Control program of the DOH, high incidence of rabies cases were recorded in Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Camarines Sur, Tarlac, Quezon, Isabela, Batangas, and Bukidnon.
Preventing the spread of rabies
The DOH, to address this health concern has formed the National Rabies Prevention and Control Program (NRPCP), which envisions to free the country from rabies by 2020. Through the NRPCP, in partnership with different agencies and local government units, the DOH continues to implement strategies and activities to respond to this highly fatal public health threat.
During the 2016 World Rabies Day, the DOH, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture (DA), led the celebration underscoring the theme: Rabies: Educate. Vaccinate. Eliminate, which emphasizes the two crucial actions that communities can do to prevent rabies, which are?
Villalon said the program has been providing Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) to all ABTCs and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to high-risk individuals and school children in high incidence zones
Aside from these, the health agency also strengthened the campaign through information, education, and communication (IEC) efforts to make the public aware of the program.
“The rabies program shall be integrated into the elementary curriculum and the Responsible Pet Ownership (RPO) shall be promoted. In coordination with the Department of Agriculture, the DOH shall intensify the promotion of dog vaccination, dog population control, as well as the control of stray animals., VIillalon added.”
More so, the health agency has lined up various advocacy campaigns to disseminate information about the illness and how to prevent it. The DOH also encourages pet owners to have household pets vaccinated at designated time periods. Lastly, the public is warned against approaching stray and possibly rabid animals and is reminded to immediately go to the nearest ABTCs/ABCs when needed.
As of March 2016, a total of 486 existing ABTCs could be found all over the country, 32 of which are in Metro Manila.
Eliminating rabies in communities
The health secretary explained that effective and safe vaccines have been available for decades to prevent the disease in humans and animals. “None of these deaths should have occurred since we have the necessary interventions to prevent rabies such as: (1) promotion of responsible pet ownership, (2) early consultation when bitten by animals and (3) timely administration of vaccines,” Ubial explained.
“Maging responsible. Kung ikaw ay may alagang hayop, pabakunahan ito agad laban sa rabies. Kung ikaw naman ay nakagat ng hayop, huwag itong ipagsawalang bahala, pumunta agad sa pinakamalapit na animal bite treatment center upang ito’y mabigyan ng kaukulang lunas o bakuna laban sa rabies,” Ubial stressed.
In an interview with Health Assistant Secretary Eric A. Tayag, he explained that Although there is no cure for rabies, post-exposure vaccination with wound cleaning is important. “Regular vaccination of dogs will reduce spread of rabies, while vaccination of individuals after a bite or those at risk affords protection against rabies,” he stressed. Communities and pet owners play a major role in routine dog registration, vaccination and leashing of pets, and active participation in campaign advocacies, according to Tayag.
With persistent government efforts and increasing community involvement, a total of 41 provinces/areas were declared ‘rabies-free’ by DOH and DA, Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) from 2008 to 2016.