by L. Lopez

Pinukpuk, Kalinga (17 April) -- Bent on eradicating rabies, this municipality fully implements RA 9482 or the Anti-rabies Act of 2007, with the massive immunization of dog pets in its 23 barangays.

Pinukpuk used to be in the watch list of the Provincial Epidemics and Surveillance Unit (PESU) having posted an alarming rate in rabies cases.

PESU Officer Jose Pardito Jr. said last year, out of the seven dog head samples from this municipality brought for rabies test, six were found positive. There was also one human death from rabies reported in Pinukpuk in the same year.

Since 2002, Pinukpuk registered yearly cases of deaths from rabies, which prompted local officials to launch an intensified campaign against rabies, resulting to the massive immunization of dog pets this year.

The activity is supported by the province, which delivered an initial 200 vials of dog rabies vaccines procured from its calamity fund. One vial is good for 10 dogs.

As inter-agency project, Pardito said staff from the Provincial Veterinary Office join municipal and barangay officials here in the massive immunization, without missing any single dog in the area.

He cited the efforts of Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) Chairman Pedro Pinera who rallied his fellow barangay chairmen to convince dog owners to voluntarily have their dogs immunized.

Based from previous activities, the project could hardly find its course down to the barangay level without the support of barangay leaders, Pardito stressed.