The Provincial Veterinary Office of Negros Occidental has vaccinated 130,344 of the 209,466-dog population in the province as of September, Dr. Merie Ann Adlaon, veterinary medical mission coordinator, said yesterday.
Adlaon said they have accomplished 62.22 percent of the PVO target for this year. The October vaccination results are still with the local government units, she said.
She also said that the PVO has received 15,359 vials of anti-rabies vaccines in 2010 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that were distributed to all LGUs to attain a rabies-free province by 2015.
The foundation has identified Negros Occidental as one of the areas in the Philippines with incidents of rabies. By providing free vaccines, it is hoped that the problem will slowly be eliminated, Adlaon also said.
It is also the goal of the foundation to make the country rabies-free by 2020, she added.
Adlaon said their target for vaccination is 70 percent of the total dog population and the PVO is positive about reaching its target by December.
The PVO also conducted stray dog impounding, mass vaccination, control and prevention, and pre-exposure treatment to its personnel conducting the vaccination, she added.
Adlaon asked dog owners to be responsible for their pets to prevent accidents.
They can bring their dogs for vaccination and check-up sessions to their office at San Juan Street in Bacolod City, she added.*LTG back
to top
|