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The city government of Manila is intensifying its anti-rabies
campaign with the Veterinary Inspection Board (VIB), under City
Administrator Jesus Marzan, allotting a budget of P530,000 for the
free vaccination of dogs, cats and other pets.
Manila’s stepped-up drive against rabies was
ordered by Mayor Alfredo Lim, who also tasked Marzan to make sure
that all 118 barangays and all public and private schools of Manila
will be properly covered by the city’s information campaign on
rabies.
Marzan said the now city-controlled VIB was able
to vaccinate 10,030 dogs, 255 cats and four monkeys.
“The free vaccination is being undertaken upon
the request of barangay officials and individuals who coordinate
with the barangays, the VIB or any of the six satellite offices of
the city,” Marzan said.
Manila has three wagons that collect stray dogs,
cats and other animals and put them in the VIB pound. Owners of
these seized animals have three days to retrieve them. Animals not
claimed after three days will automatically be subjected to
euthanasia or mercy killing.
According to the Department of Health, there are
around 135,000 to 145,000 animal bites reported every year and dogs
are responsible for 90 percent of these cases. In 2007, 55 percent
of the bite victims were males and 49 percent were under 15 years
old.
Rabies is a fatal viral disease affecting the
nervous system of humans and animals. The Philippines ranked sixth
among the countries with the highest incidence of rabies in the
world.
The government said it plans to establish more
state-owned animal bite treatment centers and encourage the private
sector to put up animal bite clinics in areas that it cannot cover,
so as to improve access of bite victims to post-exposure prophylaxis
or treatment.
-- Rommel C. Lontayao
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