Gov Diasen supports rabies control program
by L. Lopez
Tabuk, Kalinga (5 December) -- Governor Floydelia R. Diasen gives her strong support to the Rabies Control and Prevention Program as she ordered the release of funds to augment the procurement of canine vaccines for the municipalities.
Provincial Epidemics Surveillance Unit (PESU) Officer Jose Pardito Jr said the province recently made an initial release of P100,000 which was shared by Rizal, Pinukpuk and Balbalan municipalities for the program.
This act of the provincial government serves as a push to the municipalities for them to keep an eye on the problem on rabies, which is still a leading cause of morbidity in the province, Pardito said.
The awareness now reached at the provincial level followed after the national government issued an order asking local government units to support the campaign against rabies, towards making the country rabies-free by 2020.
The PESU has recorded at least 20 rabies cases from various towns of Kalinga, this year. Tabuk has 9, Pinukpuk – 7, Lubuagan – 3 and Balbalan – 1.
Because of the relatively high cases, Pardito said he proposed massive vaccination of dogs among the municipalities, which got the support of the governor.
In the control and prevention of rabies, the most effective fight is eradicating the source and that is when our dogs are properly vaccinated, Pardito explained.
The Governor assured to provide additional funds to municipalities with programs on rabies control and prevention, after submitting the necessary proposals, he said.
Pardito recommends that the program should focus on dog vaccination as the vaccine for dog bite victims is more expensive and therefore needs higher allotment. The cost of canine vaccine is cheaper by 70% than that for bite victims, he said. (PIA Kalinga) [top]
