FG, Health Experts Unite to Eliminate Rabies by 2030

News in brief:

-Nigeria is rolling out nationwide dog and cat vaccinations, public awareness campaigns, and improved veterinary capacity to achieve rabies elimination by 2030.

-The government is working with ministries and international partners under the One Health framework to reduce zoonotic disease risks and secure food and public health.

The Federal Government recently declared a renewed war against rabies, a deadly disease that can kill within days once symptoms appear. This renewed push aims to save lives, protect livestock, and safeguard the livelihoods of Nigerian farmers through vaccination, stronger veterinary services, and the One Health approach.

Why Rabies Matters for Nigerian Farmers

Rabies is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can pass from animals to humans, most commonly via dog bites. Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal. However, it is completely preventable through vaccination of animals and prompt treatment of bites.

For Nigerian farmers, this disease has ripple effects. Dogs that roam freely may bite livestock, pose a danger to farmworkers, and scare off families from keeping animals. Losses from livestock deaths, the costs of treating bites, and the fear of outbreaks can undermine both production and rural welfare.

What the Government Has Announced

At the World Rabies Day 2025 event in Abuja, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, confirmed that:

• Nationwide vaccination campaigns for dogs and cats have begun.
• Public sensitisation programmes are being intensified.
• Veterinary services are being strengthened, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
• The Federal Government is committed to the global target of zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

He emphasised that ending rabies isn’t a job for one ministry alone. It requires cooperation between livestock, health, and environment sectors, local governments, and communities under the One Health strategy.

• The government is investing in capacity building for veterinary officers.
• Diagnostic facilities for detecting rabies cases are being expanded.
• Efforts are being made to ensure that states have technical support for outbreak response.