ILOILO – Rural health units (RHUs) in 11 towns are ready to establish animal bite treatment centers (ABTCs).
These are Ajuy, Balasan, Barotac Nuevo, Banate, Sara, Dueñas, Cabatuan, Badiangan, Janiuay, Tubungan, and Batad.
Dr. Rodney Labis, chief of Health Service Delivery Division of the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO), said all physicians and nurses in the 11 RHUs underwent a three-day Animal Bite Management and Skills Training jointly spearheaded by the Department of Health (DOH) and Iloilo Provincial Veterinary Office from April 17 to 19.
Those who also took part in the training were personnel of the ABTCs of Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital in Cabatuan and Federico Roman Tirador Memorial District Hospital in Janiuay.
Moreover, IPHO presented measures on how to prevent and control rabies transmission among humans. They also conducted an advocacy campaign on responsible pet ownership and raising awareness on the community on rabies as a fatal disease.
Labis said there is a need for more ABTCs around the province for people’s easy access on its services.
“Rabies is 100 percent fatal when acquired but it is also 100 percent preventable. We recognize the importance of the community’s easy access to rabies immunization services and this is through our ABTCs,” Labis said in an interview with Panay News.
Once functional, the ABTCs in 11 towns will offer services focusing on information and education campaign, raising awareness on the community on the rabies disease, and provide rabies immunization services for animal bite cases.
Currently, all 12 district hospitals in the province have ABTCs.
“Kon malapit ang ABTCs sa aton mga pomuluyo, mas mahapusan sila nga mag-access. Ingkaso magkinahanglan sila, malapit na ang pabakunahan and daku ang tsansa nga makumpleto nila ang whole course sang immunization para masigurado nga ma-epekto ang bakuna nga ila nakuha,” said Labis.
The IPHO is also pushing the 43 local government units to organize and functionalize their Local Rabies Control Committee to develop and implement strategies to prevent and control the transmission of rabies, both in canines and humans in their locality.
Labis said the province can achieve its target of zero dog-mediated human rabies death by 2030 with the cooperation of everyone.
The IPHO enjoined all barangay rabies control committees (BRCCs) to help mitigate cases of rabies.
The duties of the BRCC include:
* conduct and supervise dog immunization activities and dog control measures
* maintain an updated master list/registry of all dogs, both vaccinated and the unvaccinated dogs
* regularly conduct information, education and communication campaign on rabies prevention and control
* advocate the practice of responsible pet ownership
* strict enforcement of barangay ordinance relevant to rabies prevention and control
* monitor cases of animal bites in the barangay and refer to the RHU for proper immunization
* support the municipal activities on rabies prevention and control
Ilonggos are again encouraged to become responsible pet owners.
Under Section 5 of the Republic Act 9482, or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007, all pet owners are required to:
* maintain a registration card which shall contain all vaccinations conducted on their dog, for accurate record purposes
* submit their dogs for mandatory registration
* maintain control over their dog and not allow it to roam the streets or any public place without a leash
* provide dogs with proper grooming, adequate food and clean shelter
* within 24 hours, report immediately any dog biting incident to concerned officials for appropriate action, and place such dog under observation by a veterinarian
* assist the dog bite victim immediately and shoulder the medical expenses incurred and other incidental expenses relative to the victim’s injuries./PN
