FG Sounds Alarm Over Rabies Deaths, Demands Annual Dog Vaccination

By Taibat Ummi Yakubu

The Federal Government has called on state governments and local authorities across Nigeria to step up annual mass vaccination of dogs as part of efforts to stop preventable human deaths from rabies.

The government made the appeal on Monday in Abuja during a symposium organised to mark the 2026 World Rabies Day, warning that rabies remains one of the country’s deadliest yet preventable diseases.

Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Chinyere Akunjobi, who represented the minister, Idi Maiha, said Nigeria should no longer record deaths from rabies when effective vaccines and preventive measures are already available.

World Rabies Day is observed every September 28. This year’s theme, “Stronger Together,” highlights the need for different sectors to work together in tackling diseases that can pass between animals and humans.

Akunjobi stressed that preventing rabies must begin with controlling the disease among dogs, noting that dogs account for more than 99 per cent of human rabies deaths globally.

She urged states and Local Government Areas to make routine dog vaccination a priority, particularly through coordinated mass vaccination campaigns capable of reaching large numbers of animals within communities.

According to her, achieving about 70 per cent vaccination coverage among dogs can significantly disrupt the spread of rabies and protect both animal and human populations.

“Rabies remains one of the world’s most devastating yet entirely preventable zoonotic diseases,” she said.

“Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is virtually 100 per cent fatal. Yet, it is also 100 per cent preventable with the tools, vaccines and knowledge we already possess. No Nigerian should die from a dog bite.”

The permanent secretary also explained that responding to dog-bite cases should go far beyond treating the wound.

She said every suspected incident should immediately lead to veterinary assessment of the animal involved, laboratory testing where necessary, prompt post-exposure treatment for the victim and public education within the affected community.

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She further called for closer coordination between veterinary clinics, hospitals, laboratories, public health agencies and communities, saying rabies control cannot be effectively handled by one sector alone.

Akunjobi also highlighted the role of responsible pet ownership in preventing outbreaks.

She urged dog owners to ensure their animals receive regular vaccinations, remain properly confined or supervised and are taken to veterinary professionals immediately when they show signs of illness.

The government, she said, was also working to strengthen veterinary services, disease surveillance, laboratory capacity and veterinary public health systems as part of a broader strategy to tackle rabies and other diseases that affect both humans and animals.

Nigeria, she disclosed, is working towards eliminating human deaths caused by dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

The Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Dr Samuel Anzaku, similarly called for a stronger partnership among government agencies and other stakeholders involved in disease prevention.

Anzaku said the fight against rabies required the combined efforts of veterinary and medical professionals, environmental health authorities, local governments, research institutions, private organisations and development partners.

He emphasised that reducing rabies in the dog population remains one of the most important steps towards protecting humans from infection.

However, he identified several obstacles standing in the way of effective rabies control, including low vaccination coverage in some communities, inadequate reporting of suspected cases, poor access to post-exposure treatment, weak disease surveillance systems and insufficient funding.

“These challenges require innovative, evidence-based and locally appropriate solutions,” Anzaku said.

He added that the World Rabies Day symposium offered an opportunity for stakeholders to assess the country’s progress, discuss existing gaps and develop practical strategies for reducing human deaths from the disease.

With rabies remaining almost invariably fatal once symptoms begin, health authorities are now pushing for stronger prevention at the community level,especially through widespread dog vaccination, responsible ownership and rapid treatment of people exposed to potentially infected animals.