The Federal Government has launched the 2025 nationwide mass anti-rabies vaccination campaign, with a pledge to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies deaths in Nigeria by 2030 in line with global targets.
Speaking at the flag-off in Abuja to commemorate World Rabies Day (WRD),Idi Mukhtar Maiha minister of Livestock Development, described rabies as “one of the deadliest yet most preventable zoonotic diseases, stressing that the campaign reflects government’s commitment to protecting lives and strengthening public health.
“This year’s theme, ‘You, Me, and the Community,’ reminds us that rabies elimination cannot be achieved by government efforts alone. It requires the active involvement of citizens, policy makers, veterinarians, dog owners, hunters, teachers, parents, and indeed the whole community,” Maiha said.
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He disclosed that 26,000 doses of anti-rabies vaccines have been procured for immediate deployment, particularly in eight frontline states with the highest reported rabies cases in the last six months — Lagos, Kano, Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, Cross River, Osun and the FCT.
Veterinary teaching hospitals and colleges will also receive allocations, while the COBO tool application will be deployed to capture real-time data on vaccinated animals.
“Rabies continues to claim thousands of lives globally, with Africa and Asia bearing the greatest burden. Most victims are children under 15 years. Yet rabies is entirely preventable through vaccination,” the Minister said.
He added that the campaign would enlist private veterinarians, veterinary students, and even retired professionals, likening the fight against rabies to a “war” requiring mobilisation of all available expertise.
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“We are launching, but we are not retreating. We will only retreat when the last rabies virus has been killed and buried,” Maiha declared.
George Uzaga, national coordinator of the Rabies Control Programme, said Nigeria continues to record rabies outbreaks, citing a recent case in Borno where an infected dog bit 30 schoolchildren.
“Rabies is the most deadly zoonotic disease in the world. Once symptoms appear, there is no cure. That is why vaccination of dogs and cats is our best weapon,” Uzaga said.
