BY: ROI ANTHONI B. LOMOTAN
DUMAGUETE CITY, Oct. 15 (PIA) – Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo pledged to allocate P1 million to the Provincial Health Office in 2015 to intensify rabies control and prevention measures in the province.
In 2013, around 6, 356 animal bite cases were recorded all throughout the province. This figure was compared to 2012 digits which are more than 4,000 animal bite incidents.
Gov. Degamo announced this in a recent rabies forum here. He said the amount will be used to buy anti-rabies vaccines.
Degamo has already consulted Dr. Liland Estacion, one of the provincial board members, for the inclusion of this program in the provincial government’s budget for 2015.
Negros Oriental has a total dog population of 104, 399 but only 28% of this numbers have been vaccinated so far.
On the other hand, in Dumaguete City, the province’s capital, the City Veterinary Office targets to vaccinate 9, 8000 dogs, 70% of the total dog population in the city which is ranged at 14, 000. As of now, some 8, 222 have been vaccinated within the year so far.
Rabies coordinators are now seeking local government sustainability to anti-rabies campaign in line with reports that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will be ending their support to the rabies program in the province next year. The said foundation has been a provider of free animal vaccines in the province.
Gov. Degamo hopes that other national government agencies like the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture will be able to provide assistance or counterpart with the provincial government in providing vaccines to totally eradicate rabies incidents in Negros Oriental.
However, Dr. Alicia Yap, rabies coordinator of the Integrated Provincial Health Office, considers Gov. Degamo’s announcement as a welcome development to strengthen their campaign for a rabies free province.
Dr. Yap explained that they are continuously conducting anti-rabies caravans to different cities and municipalities to offer free clinics for animals, spaying for female dogs and neutering for male dogs.
So far, the Apo Island in Dauin town and Olympia Island in Bais City are declared rabies-free places in the province.
In addition to government efforts, the public are also called to practice responsible pet ownership in order to control and prevent animal bite cases in the province.
Dr. Lourdes Socorro of Dumaguete City Veterinary Office said it all boils down to responsible pet ownership and taking good care of pet animals and prohibiting them to go astray.
“One important factor in controlling dog rabies is controlling dog movement,” Dr. Socorro concluded. (mbcn/ral/PIA7-NegOr)