EASTERN SAMAR, Philippines – So the province may be free from rabies, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Provincial Health Office (PHO) in the coordination of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Provincial Veterinarian Office will celebrate the “Rabies Awareness Month” this March with a kick off on March 3, 2015 at Luis Capito Cultural Stage this City.
One of the activities is a motorcade from Borongan City to Barangay Bugas in the North down to Barangay Camada in the South and then back to the City proper.
After the motorcade, a ceremonial program will be held to be followed immediately with Rabies Immunization/Vaccination of pet animals.
According to Mrs. Edna A. Tumandao, Provincial Rabies Coordinator on Human Side, rabies is very alarming considering that last year, 2014, five patients died and in 2013 four died of the infection.
“Rabies is a fatal disease affecting the whole nervous system and records show that 54% of rabies deaths are among school children”, Tumandao said.
It is advised therefore that when an individual is bitten by animals suspected of being rabid, the person must immediately go to the Animal Bite Treatment Center.
He/She will be put in the Incubation for a period of 13 days, where the first three days of vaccination will begiven after seven days, and another vaccination, when the pet animals dies on the seventh day he/she is protected already, and if the bitten person wants to be treated until the 13th day it is their discretion to proceed with the treatment.
Here, there are five (5) Animal Bite Treatment Center: Taft District Hospital, Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital, Oras District Hospital, Balangiga District Hospital and Guiuan Ditrict Hospital.
“To be able to have a Province Free of Rabies, it is now the right time that our government officials and barangay officials use their political will by enforcing the ordinances in their respective municipalities and barangays through information dissemination on rabies and responsible pet ownership,” Tumandao further said.
PHO to conduct immunization of pet animals in March
