TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) –To get barangay officials running, Governor Erico Aristotle issued an Executive Order which mandates the creation of Bantay Rabies sa Barangay Task Forces (BRBTF) as the main and coordinating units linking Bohol’s rabies prevention and elimination program to the community.
This, as rabies continue to be a deadly threat to Bohol and its recovering tourism industry.
According to Provincial veterinarian Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz, Bohol used to have zero rabies cases in 2020, but Bohol stuttered in keeping its clean slate with reduced government budgets, failure of LGUS to keep up with the dog vaccination and the restrictions imposed for COVID-19.
Over the years, Bohol sees an increase in dog population, that these dogs spill out of houses and into the streets, causing vehicular accidents.
Beyond the increasing fatalities from stray dog-involved road accidents, human rabies cases started to climb, threatening the recovering tourism industry.
There has to be a need to institute measures for population control, to reduce vaccine requirement in vaccinating the 70% of the dog population, according to Dr. Lapiz.
At the latest count, Bohol’s dog population is nearing the 200,000 mark, according to estimates from the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian.
Bohol has to pursue all efforts towards the elimination of the rabies disease and this needs the participation nd cooperation of the LGUs in the community, Governor Aumentado said.
For this, he sees the institutionalization of a sustainable mechanism beginning with reconstituting the Provincial Rabies Prevention and Elimination Council, the setting up of Rabies Prevention and Elimination Technical Teams, and the BRBTF.
Aumentado believes that the Bohol Rabies Prevention and Elimination Program has to be strengthened into a one-health approach thru inter-sectoral program implementation towards a rabies-free province in 2025.
This means, by then, Bohol will have attained a zero human and canine rabies incidence, achieved 100% post exposure treatment of bite victims and vaccinated at least 70% of the total dog population in every barangay annually.
And then, all of the 1,109 barangays would have maintained an updated annual dog registry system, all towns would already be actively conducting information education and communication on responsible pet–ownership and zero incidence of stray dogs.
BRPEC, according to the Executive Order No 55, series of 2023 also details the two program components: Human Rabies Control and Prevention and Canine Rabies Prevention and Control.
Human rabies prevention and control includes public education and awareness, vaccination campaign, surveillance and reporting, capacity building, collaboration and coordination as well as treatment and post exposure prophylaxis.
Under canine rabies prevention and control are compulsory registration of dogs to establish ownership and accountability in biting incidences, mass dog vaccination to achieve herd immunity and dog population management, movement and control through responsible pet ownership.
This should incorporate surgical sterilization, intensive campaigns for leashing and confinement of dogs as well as humane management of stray dogs.
The program uses localized approach with the BRBTF, school based rabies education, post exposure treatment of bite victims care of LGUS using a cost-sharing scheme for victims practicing responsible pet ownership.
It also puts up dog registration upon vaccination with the provincial government counter-parting in the procurement of rabies vaccines, dog population management, rabies law enforcement, disease surveillance and integrating rabies education in the school curriculum.
The executive order also puts up Rabies Prevention and Eradication Technical Teams, who will handle the operational activities of the council. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
BECOMING A PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN. After 2009-2010 under then governor Erico Aumentado when Bohol was rabies free, the son Governor Erico Aristotle is starting off a mission to get Bohol with zero rabies cases in 2025. He daunting however can be achievable with the empowered local government joining the campaign, thus the Bantay Rabies sa Barangay. (PIAbohol)
