Rabies control body formed
The Iloilo City Government has created a rabies control committee in response to the spread of deadly disease that commonly infects humans through dog bites.
“The incidence of positive rabies cases in the city has greatly increased over the last years. Rabies is a dreaded and fatal disease. It has already reached an alarming condition that immediate measure is needed to address the situation,” Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said.
To properly address the situation, there shall be a committee created to implement rabies control activities, he explained.
Mabilog is the committee chairman, while vice chair is Councilor Lyndon Acap, chairman of City Council committee on health and sanitation.
The anti-rabies committee members are City Veterinarian Tomas Forteza, City Health Officer Urminico Baronda, Iloilo City Police Office Director Dennis Basngi, City Schools Division Superintendent Erlinda Gencaya, City Department of Interior and Local Government Officer John Ace Azarcon, Liga ng mga Barangay president Irene Ong, City Prosecutor Peter Baliao, City Public Information Officer Amante Espejo Jr., and NGO representative Jeanette Oberio.
The City Veterinarian Office earlier conducted mass vaccination to some 32,000 dogs all over the metropolis in an effort to prevent the spread of rabies virus.
The city’s massive dog vaccination drive was supported by the “Rabies-Free Visayas Islands” project of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and World Health Organization.
The initiative is funded through a grant of $2.3 million intended for Western, Central and Eastern Visayas regions.*
