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Central Province Medical Officer Rosemary Mwanza has bemoaned the increased numbers of dog bites in the province.
Dr Mwanza said this during a stake holders meeting on dog bite
prevention and control of rabies in the province.
She said according to the cumulative situational analysis of dog bites
in the province as from January to March 2015, incidences of dog
bites stood at 1,886.
Kabwe town has the highest number of dog bites with the record of 532,
Serenje recorded 431, Chibombo 301, Mumbwa 199 and Itezhi Tezhi 79.
Chisamba recorded 98, Kapiri Mposhi 87, Mkushi 64, Chitambo 58, while Luano recorded 30 and Ngabwe 7.
Dr Mwanza said Kabwe as a provincial center was supposed to lead by
example in having better anti rabies control measures unlike what was
currently obtaining.
She said the council and the veterinary department should be
conducting routine vaccines twice every year and that stray dogs needed
to be eliminated.
And Kabwe municipal council Acting Chief Health Inspector Samantha
Haangala said the council had tried to engage the police and
veterinary department but faced difficulties with the owners of the
pets.
Ms Haangala said people should be sensitized on the number of dogs allowed to be kept.
“Under the dog registration Act Cap 2 of the laws of Zambia, each household should have a maximum of three dogs and all dogs which have been vaccinated should be given a badge or certificate,” she said.
She revealed that the last operation to eliminate stray dogs was a cost as the police involved wasted a lot of bullets.
She explained that the police only managed to gun down 12 dogs of the targeted 200.
Meanwhile, Central Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Ronald Sinyangwe said for a successful operation to be done in the province relevant stakeholders should be incorporated.
Mr Sinyangwe said the numbers of dog bites are not going down but are increasingly growing hence, the need for immediate measures to be put in place such as sensitization of the public on rabies, enforcement of the dogs act, vaccination and elimination of stray dogs.
Zanis
