Improving Awareness and Preventive Activities about Rabies in Ifelodun Local Government Area, Kwara State and Aba South Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria.
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan.
Abstract
Rabies is an ancient disease of poor and vulnerable communities and is responsible
for many human deaths in Africa and Asia. The rate at which cases of rabies are
reported in the media, veterinary clinics and human hospitals is increasingly high.
Although rabies is highly feared, yet public awareness and knowledge of its risk
factors are still very poor in Nigeria. The low level of the knowledge of the disease
has negatively affected the elimination of rabies in the country. The aim of this
study was to impact members of the selected communities with knowledge about
rabies. Rabies awareness campaign was carried out in Ifelodun Local Government
Area of Kwara State and Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria
from July to September 2019 using public address system to communicate, inform
and educate youths and adults in schools, churches, mosques, markets, town halls
and community centers in the study areas. Questionnaire was thereafter
administered to collect data on rabies awareness and anti-rabies vaccination for
dogs. The study revealed general acceptance of members of the communities to the
educational awareness campaigns carried out in the study areas. This was also
reflected in the respondents’ knowledge that rabies is a deadly disease (69%)
transmitted majorly by dogs (73%) and predominantly through bite (86.6%). The
government at all levels should sponsor and incorporate rabies education into free mass dog vaccination programs. We recommend that government should support
regular rabies campaign in addition to mass dog vaccination programs and consider
subsidy on anti-rabies vaccine for the successful elimination of rabies in Nigeria.
Description
Keywords
Rabies, Awareness, Preventive activities
Citation
Aiyedun J.O., Nwoha R. I. O., Oludairo O. O., Daodu O. B. and Akanbi, O. B. (2022): Improving Awareness and Preventive Activities about Rabies in Ifelodun Local Government Area, Kwara State and Aba South Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria. Tropical Veterinarian, 40 (1&II): 42-52.