By Hou Akot Hou
Medical workers in Aweil Civil Hospital have reported that a rabies-infected dog has bitten more than ten people at Wadwil village in Aweil West County, Northern Bahr El Ghazel state.
Luka Lual Aleu Jok, the health focal point person, disclosed the cases.
He was speaking during a live radio talk show on Wednesday with the Director General for Animal Resources about the incident.
Mr. Lual told listeners of the talk show that they have been tipped off about the incident through calls that the dog is still at large.
Lual said that they wanted those bitten to come to the Ministry of Health, where there are a few vaccines left to save their lives.
He, however, underlined that the state is facing a lack of enough rabies vaccines.
According to the medical officer, they received some vaccines from the World Health Organization after they had earlier placed a request.
“We have a few vaccines that were provided for by the WHO and the few pharmacies here like Mathaar Clinic, and the one in Juaach does have the rabies vaccines, which our people may not afford,” he noted.
Lual advised people to be vigilant with stray dogs, saying rabies cases are on the rise.
In response, the Director General for Animal Resources, Mr. Luka Manut Jel, said they have received reports of local residents taking conservative measures against rabies, such as eating hyena skin and other herbs to cure the bite, which is not true.
Manut said they are working with their health partners to ensure that all dogs are vaccinated so that some never have offspring, as they are multiplying in huge numbers.
“I want to appeal to the dog owners to vaccinate their pets, as some people love their dogs so much that they don’t want their dogs to be killed even if they have gone astray,” he urged.
“Take care of your dog by first vaccinating it so that it does not leave the house; when it is hungry, it leads to that madness of biting at random; if it bites any stranger, then it can’t cost you much to treat the patient,” Manut added.
He revealed a collaborative plan they are pursuing with partners to ensure that all dogs are vaccinated.
“Kill any dog that you see is going astray,” he directed.