If there were two things that are undeniably abundant in the country today, that would be stray cats and dogs. All over the country, the presence of dogs and cats freely roaming the streets is very common and looks very harmless.
However, the number of fatalities caused by rabid animal bites is still alarming for the Philippine health department. According to the Department of Health “To further the goal of eliminating human rabies cases in the Philippines, the DOH will provide a full course of anti-rabies vaccines in 480 Animal Bite Treatment Centers nationwide.”
The objective to declare the country rabies-free by 2020 has bridged several offices of the government, international health organizations, the private sectors and non-profit alliances to achieve this goal.
Yearly, the country celebrates Rabies Awareness Month in March while the month of September is the World’s Rabies Day, which marks the death anniversary of the French scientist Louis Pasteur who first successfully developed the first rabies vaccine.
The celebrations aim to raise awareness that rabies is 100 percent fatal but 100 percent preventable — animal vaccination is a cheaper way to prevent the disease and the Post-exposure and Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP) is an effective means to protect ourselves from rabies.
From the DOH down to barangay health centers, free vaccination for cats and dogs plays a big role in controlling the disease. Forums in barangays and public schools about rabies prevention are also important components in raising awareness among the public. Aside from these, impounding of stray cats and dogs is also necessary to prevent the health risks that these animals can bring to residents specially the kids who usually play outside their homes. To complete the country’s plan in eradicating rabies, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is commonly given for free in government health centers or bite centers to prevent fatality.
With all these collaboration and massive anti-rabies program implementation all over the country, at least 35 localities have been declared rabies-free.
The beautiful islands of Siquijor, Batanes, and Camiguin were declared rabies-free, also declared were Biliran, Dinagat, Apo Island, Dauin in Negros Oriental; Malapascua Island in Cebu; Camotes Island in Cebu; Olympia Island and Bais City in Negros Oriental; Culion, Palawan; Coron, Palawan; Busuanga, Palawan; Boracay Island and Malay municipality in Aklan.
Last year, also declared as rabies-free zones were Tingloy Island in Batangas, Agutaya and Balabac Islands in Palawan, BasilisaIalnd in Dinagat, Cagdianao, Libjo, Loreto, San Jose and Tubajon all of Dinagat.
In October 2014, Bureau of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture declared rabies-free the towns of island towns of Alabat and Perez in Quezon; Socorro and Bucas Grande Island in Surigaodel Norte and the island municipalities of Linapacan, Kalayaan, Cagayancillo, Magsaysay, Araceli and Cuyo in Palawan.