The Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries (MINEPIA) celebrated World Rabies Day on the esplanade of the Centre Regional Delegation on 28 September 2023.

Chaired by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, JAJI Manu GUIDADO, representing the Minister, Dr TAÏGA, who was unable to attend, he expressed his satisfaction at seeing so many dog owners turning out to vaccinate their pets during the official launch of the vaccination campaign. He also stressed the benefits of this vaccination and placed particular emphasis on raising awareness.

The 17th World Rabies Day, whose theme is “Rabies: All for One, One Health for All”, is fully in line with the objectives of the Global Alliance for Rabies Control. The aim of this umpteenth event is to raise public awareness and conduct a vast campaign to eliminate rabies worldwide, hence the inclusive nature of the event, which brought together social players, pet owners and technical and financial partners. Rabies is a disease that can be transmitted to humans through the bite of infected dogs, cats and monkeys around the world, and children are often the most vulnerable.

Cameroon has once again benefited from a large stock of vaccines from its partners involved in the fight against this major zoonosis. The country has already identified rabies as a priority zoonosis through an Integrated Strategic Plan for the elimination of human rabies of animal origin, a strategy structured around 05 main axes, in particular the elimination of dog rabies; the prevention of rabies in humans; the strengthening of surveillance and the response; the promotion of operational research; and communication and mobilisation. These are initiatives through which Cameroon aims to reduce the number of deaths from rabies to 0% by 2030, according to the Secretary General of MINEPIA, and this will necessarily involve implementing the control and management of pets, promoting animal welfare and improving epidemiological surveillance.

It should be noted that vaccination is free of charge and will be carried out throughout the country.