WORLD RABIES DAY 2024 NSAWAM

RABIES IN WEST AFRICA- GHANA (RIWA-GH) & GHANA VETERINARY MEDICAL STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION, UNIVERSITY OF GHANA (GVMSA-UG)

WORLD RABIES DAY 2024 REPORT

INTRODUCTION
This year’s World Rabies Day Celebration was on the 30th of September 2024 at the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality. The theme for this year’s event was ‘’Breaking Rabies Boundaries”. The celebration was a collaboration between the Ghana Veterinary Medical Students Association, University of Ghana (GVMSA – UG), Rabies in West Africa – Ghana (RIWA-Ghana) and the Nsawam Municipal Veterinary Office.
A committee was set up to organize the event. They comprised of the executive body of the GVMSA-UG chaired by David Gyau Sarpong, Dr. Akosua Kumi Nyarko (Small Animal Teaching Hospital-University of Ghana), with assistance from Prof. Richard Suu-Ire (RIWA Rep) and Dr. Twumasi (Nsawam Municipal Veterinary Officer)

MAIN OBJECTIVES
This year’s celebration focused on the vaccination of dogs and cats within the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality and also to create awareness among members of the community through schools and public education.

ACTIVITIES
School Education Awareness exercise was organized in the morning in addition to the vaccination program on Monday, 30th September.

There were 2 main vaccination centres
Kofi Sah L/A School & House to house within the Kofi Sah township
Akwamu Presby School & House to house within the Akwamu township

The schools visited were
St. Peter’s Mission School
Kofi Sah L/A School
Akwamu Amanfo ‘B’ Presby School

It was a one-day event. Fliers, posters and info-graphics were left at each school and presented to some community members for continuous education.

FINANCES AND SPONSORSHIP
The Veterinary Services Directorate (VSD) sponsored the celebration with 300 doses of vaccines.
Donations in cash were also received from the Perfect Veterinary and the Marivet Veterinary Hospitals.
Please find attached the income and expenditure for the celebration.

KPI
At the end of the World Rabies Day Celebration, these were the number of animals vaccinated. We also provided free rabies vaccination at the University Small Animal Teaching Hospital and Oshuiman Estate. The remaining vaccine was given to the Nsawam Municipal Veterinary Hospital for free rabies vaccination.

Animals
Venue Dogs   Cats   Total
Kofi Sah L/A School   50 8 58
Akwamu 57 4 61
SATH 50 50
Oshuiman Estate 10 10
Total 167 12   179

RECOMMENDATIONS
World Rabies Day Celebration should involve more schools and churches every year.
The event should be planned early and sponsorship requested early.

CONCLUSION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In conclusion, rabies is not a one-day celebration event. Let us maximize efforts to control and curb this disease.
We extend special appreciation to the people of Nsawam Township who helped make the celebration a success. A special thanks to Dr. Twumasi for his assistance and for getting us venues and organizing the Nsawam township for the program. We are also grateful to the students of University of Ghana School of Veterinary Medicine for availing themselves to help out make the program a success.

Reported by                        Approved by

David Gyau Sarpong                     Prof. Richard Suu-Ire
RIWA – GH CHAIR

EDUCATION