Got a dog or cat in Abuja? You’ll want to read this — the FCTA is coming to your ward, and the jab is completely free.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has kicked off a massive two-week vaccination blitz, targeting between 15,000 and 20,000 dogs and cats across all six area councils in the FCT.

The whole operation is being run by the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, and it’s a direct response to fresh rabies cases popping up in parts of the territory.

Speaking while monitoring the exercise in Gwagwalada Area Council on Wednesday, the Mandate Secretary, Sulieman Ango, said the administration has deployed over 100 veterinary officers to strategic locations to get the job done.

According to cbinews.tv, Ango confirmed the campaign will sweep through all 62 wards of the FCT, with daily vaccination at designated centres for the full two weeks.

“We have the firm conviction that by vaccinating 15,000 to 20,000 dogs and cats, we are going to stop the spread of the virus. From what we have recorded so far, two weeks is sufficient time for our team to cover this scope,” he said.

For now, the hotspot is Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils, where cases were first reported. The good news? No new cases have been detected outside those two councils since the vet teams moved in.

Ango has urged residents to stay calm but to cooperate — simply bring your dogs and cats out for the free jab.

Why this is such a big deal

Rabies might sound old-school, but it’s still one of the deadliest zoonotic diseases on the planet. The World Health Organisation estimates it kills about 59,000 people globally every year, with Africa and Asia accounting for over 95% of deaths.

Nigeria carries a huge burden. Figures are contested because of under-reporting, but the WHO and USAID have previously put annual human rabies deaths in Nigeria at up to 55,000, while Nigerian veterinary experts put the more conservative estimate at 1,000 to 2,000 deaths per year. Either way, children under 15 are disproportionately affected.

And here’s the scary fact the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Karnak Dandam, reminded everyone of: Once clinical symptoms appear in a human after a bite from a rabid dog, it’s almost invariably fatal. But it is also 100% preventable.

“Rabies is a very deadly disease. Once a rabid dog bites a human being and the clinical signs set in, there is no survival, but it is 100 per cent preventable once the dogs are vaccinated,” Dandam said, as cited by cbinews.tv.

Over 99% of human cases are dog-mediated. That’s why the WHO says we need to vaccinate at least 70% of the dog population to break transmission.

Some contexts;

This isn’t the first time Abuja has had to act fast. On July 15, the FCTA confirmed eight rabies cases and two human deaths in the territory, which triggered the announcement of this mass campaign. Historically, northern Nigeria has reported a higher prevalence of dog rabies, with studies between 1978 and 2020 showing antigen prevalence of 3% to 28% in tested dogs.

The strategy is simple and proven worldwide: mass dog vaccination works. It reduces human deaths and cuts the need for expensive post-exposure prophylaxis after dog bites.

So, if you’re in Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje or Kwali — keep an eye out for your ward’s designated centre. It’s free, it takes minutes, and it could literally save a life.

As cbinews.tv reports, residents are also being asked to report any suspected cases or dogs behaving strangely to veterinary authorities immediately.

Don’t wait for a bite. Get your pet vaccinated.

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