Anti-rabies drive needs more ‘teeth’
Iloilo Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Silvino Teodosio Jr. said that the implementation of the anti-rabies ordinance needs more teeth from local government units (LGUs).
Teodosio made the statement Wednesday when he was the resource speaker on Republic Act 9482 or the Rabies Law of 2007 in the Department of Health-Center for Health Development 6 Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Skills Training held at Punta Villa Training Center in Iloilo City.
According to the official, while at present all the 43 LGUs of Iloilo province have already adopted the Provincial Ordinance 2008-072 or the anti-rabies ordinance, there are still confirmed rabies cases because of the lack of implementation by the LGUs.
For her part, Iloilo Provincial Health Officer Dr. Patricia Grace Trabado reported eight rabies deaths since January this year.
“The target for 2015 is to bring down rabies cases to five percent per one million population,” Trabado said.
She said there is a need for LGUs’ strong implementation to make the anti-rabies campaign successful and eventually attain the target.
Trabado said that the dog owners should also be responsible in taking care of their pets to help in the anti-rabies campaign.
Dr. Teodosio said that Iloilo province has 280,000 the present dog population, 90 percent of which are considered as stray dogs. (PNA)