Rabies prevention: It's part of our oath

Rabies has continued to pose a great danger and challenge to public health, particularly in the developing world. In a region where canine rabies is endemic and dog bites are common, we look forward to World Rabies Day because it offers us an unparalleled opportunity to join the campaign against this disease by uniting in the fight against rabies.

In my institution, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, we joined the rest of the world to mark the last two World Rabies Days on a community-wide scale, and this year our chief target is educating school children about rabies prevention. We create awareness among people through public education on how to prevent the disease in both animals and people. In doing this work, we keep the Veterinary Oath we took to relieve animals of suffering and promote public health. Because this disease is 100% preventable, we should all work a little bit harder to stop the death of 55,000 people annually. This is a noble task. Let us make rabies history.

Asabe Adamu Dzikwi, DVM, MSc, PhD

Asabe Adamu Dzikwi, DVM, MSc, PhD

Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Ahmadu Bello University

Zaria, Nigeria