SAN JOSE, Antique –The local government units in this province are urged to provide additional funds in order to purchase more vaccines.
“The 50 vials of anti-rabies vaccines would be enough for 500 dogs,” according to Provincial Veterinary (ProVet) Public Health Division head Dr. Marco Rafael Ardamil on Feb. 18, saying that the vials of anti-rabies provided by the Department of Agriculture (DA) would not be sufficient to cover the massive immunization of dogs.
They have received the vials from the DA on Feb. 7. However, each vial could only vaccinate 10 dogs.
Based on the 2019 dog population in the province, there are 41, 033 dogs that need vaccination to secure this province as rabies-free.
“The 50 vials of anti-rabies vaccine from the DA will be used to prioritize municipalities of Sibalom and Patnongon,” Ardamil said.
Those towns will be first due to the two positive cases of rabies there last year.
“The two positive cases in Sibalom and Patnongon were confirmed after dog head specimens were sent to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Iloilo City,” he added.
Vaccinations in the two prioritized towns will start any time. The ProVet is just waiting for the counterpart vaccines from their respective local government units.
“We have communicated already with the Sibalom and Patnongon LGUs for their counterpart vaccines,” he said.
The counterpart vaccines will depend on the towns’ dog population.
For walk-in dog owners, ProVet can also vaccinate their pets in its office located in this capital town.
“We cater to clients who bring their dogs to ProVet for vaccination since we have the anti-rabies vaccines now,” Ardamil said.(With a report from PNA/PN)
