by Sarah Schmidt, President, BIG FIX Uganda
We are being overwhelmed by cases of rabid dogs in Northern Uganda. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown suspended rabies vaccination clinics in the region for 6 months. This resulted in more than 5,000 family dogs failing to receive their annual rabies vaccinations.
The first sign of the current rabies crisis came to BIG FIX in early December. A terrified young man brought his 23-year old wife, who was carrying a newborn baby on her back, to the BIG FIX Dog Hospital. She was already displaying active symptoms of rabies following a bite from a rabid dog in Omoro District, Northern Uganda. Once the rabies virus reaches the brain, manifesting in physical symptoms, death of the victim is imminent, so there was nothing our devoted staff could do to save this young mother's life. After reporting to the human hospital, the young couple and their baby were sent home, and the woman died in her village. All of us at BIG FIX were heartbroken at the thought of the family members trying to care for the victim as the disease progressed. Since the rabies virus causes similar symptoms in humans as in dogs - thick saliva and an insatiable effort to bite (and thus infect) others, we feared the baby and other family members would also become infected. Now there is yet another child in Northern Uganda who has no mother because of a disease that is 100% preventable.
The first weekend in February 2021, a rabid dog bit 10 people and many animals in Pece - in one of the most populated areas of Gulu City. During the past week, BIG FIX Uganda has received emergency pleas from Nwoya District and Amuru District. In Nwoya, five confirmed rabies cases seem to foreshadow more outbreaks to come. In Amuru's Perecu Village, residents spent Valentine's Day weekend terrorized after a rabid dog bit many people and animals.
Immediately following the Pece rabies outbreak, BIG FIX Uganda worked with the City Veterinary Officer to mobilize the community and hold vaccination clinics on February 12th and 13th.
We are being overwhelmed by cases of rabid dogs in Northern Uganda. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown suspended rabies vaccination clinics in the region for 6 months. This resulted in more than 5,000 family dogs failing to receive their annual rabies vaccinations.
The first sign of the current rabies crisis came to BIG FIX in early December. A terrified young man brought his 23-year old wife, who was carrying a newborn baby on her back, to the BIG FIX Dog Hospital. She was already displaying active symptoms of rabies following a bite from a rabid dog in Omoro District, Northern Uganda. Once the rabies virus reaches the brain, manifesting in physical symptoms, death of the victim is imminent, so there was nothing our devoted staff could do to save this young mother's life. After reporting to the human hospital, the young couple and their baby were sent home, and the woman died in her village. All of us at BIG FIX were heartbroken at the thought of the family members trying to care for the victim as the disease progressed. Since the rabies virus causes similar symptoms in humans as in dogs - thick saliva and an insatiable effort to bite (and thus infect) others, we feared the baby and other family members would also become infected. Now there is yet another child in Northern Uganda who has no mother because of a disease that is 100% preventable.
The first weekend in February 2021, a rabid dog bit 10 people and many animals in Pece - in one of the most populated areas of Gulu City. During the past week, BIG FIX Uganda has received emergency pleas from Nwoya District and Amuru District. In Nwoya, five confirmed rabies cases seem to foreshadow more outbreaks to come. In Amuru's Perecu Village, residents spent Valentine's Day weekend terrorized after a rabid dog bit many people and animals.
Immediately following the Pece rabies outbreak, BIG FIX Uganda worked with the City Veterinary Officer to mobilize the community and hold vaccination clinics on February 12th and 13th.
Rabies makes the list of the world's top 10 deadliest viruses, yet it is also a disease of poverty. Rabies is preventable through the relatively inexpensive vaccination of domestic dogs. In Northern Uganda, BIG FIX estimates the cost of delivering 1 rabies vaccination to be about $1 USD. Conversely, a course of the required post-exposure injections for humans can cost as much as $40 per person. In one of the most impoverished regions on earth, that $40 means that many people may not be able to get the treatment they need if they are bitten by a rabid dog. For want of that $40, people have died.
These rabies outbreaks also have indirect impacts on dog welfare. Rabies was once understandably believed to be the product of witchcraft. True stories circulate widely of children being bitten by rabid dogs while playing at school, fetching water, or sleeping at their homes. Many adults have watched their beloved family dog "go mad". It is not an exaggeration to say that virtually everyone in Northern Uganda knew someone who died from rabies. These traumatic experiences cause people to fear and build contempt for dogs, not to befriend them.
Unfortunately, more cases of rabies will continue to overwhelm Northern Uganda unless we get these thousands of family dogs vaccinated. Neither the local governments nor BIG FIX Uganda have the resources to provide the level of emergency response needed to abate this crisis.
WE NEED HELP. We have the determination, we have the trained staff, we have the cooperation of the local governments in Gulu City, Nwoya, and Amuru Districts. We just need the resources to purchase vaccines and carry out emergency vaccination clinics.
If you can help us, it might save someone's life. $1 could not be better spent.
These rabies outbreaks also have indirect impacts on dog welfare. Rabies was once understandably believed to be the product of witchcraft. True stories circulate widely of children being bitten by rabid dogs while playing at school, fetching water, or sleeping at their homes. Many adults have watched their beloved family dog "go mad". It is not an exaggeration to say that virtually everyone in Northern Uganda knew someone who died from rabies. These traumatic experiences cause people to fear and build contempt for dogs, not to befriend them.
Unfortunately, more cases of rabies will continue to overwhelm Northern Uganda unless we get these thousands of family dogs vaccinated. Neither the local governments nor BIG FIX Uganda have the resources to provide the level of emergency response needed to abate this crisis.
WE NEED HELP. We have the determination, we have the trained staff, we have the cooperation of the local governments in Gulu City, Nwoya, and Amuru Districts. We just need the resources to purchase vaccines and carry out emergency vaccination clinics.
If you can help us, it might save someone's life. $1 could not be better spent.