Rabies vaccination meets difficulties due to non-cooperation

Vaccination to protect families and neighbours

In the last days of April, households with dogs and cats in Buon Ma Thuot City received notifications from local authorities about the rabies vaccination campaign, which requires a fee. Most residents were pleased and eagerly awaited their turn for the vaccination. They understood that vaccinating their pets not only protects their own family members but also their neighbours.

Upon receiving the notification about the rabies vaccination schedule, Mr Mai Quoc Huu, a resident of Thanh Cong Ward, Buon Ma Thuot City, stayed home to wait for the veterinary officers to vaccinate his family dog. According to Mr Huu, his family vaccinates their dog every year to ensure safety.

"I heard from the neighbourhood leader about the vaccination schedule, so I arranged to stay home. It's great if everyone is aware of vaccinating their dogs and cats because if a vaccinated dog bites someone on the street, it’s less of a concern. However, the most important thing is to keep the dog leashed and not let it roam freely", Mr Huu said.

Similarly, Mrs Do Thi Sach My, a resident of Tan Hoa Ward, Buon Ma Thuot City, was ready with her cat in her arms when the vaccination team arrived. According to Mrs My, spending VND 20,000/dose is a small amount on vaccination is worth it to protect herself and her family.

"Recently, there have been cases where people were bitten by rabid dogs and didn't seek treatment, leading to fatalities. If there is no mass vaccination campaign, my family proactively contacts the authorities to buy vaccines and vaccinate our pets at home", Mrs My shared.

Meanwhile, Mr Nguyen Trong Van, a resident of Cu M'gar District, expressed his concerns: "Although the government has penalties for households that let their dogs roam without muzzles, no one has been penalized for this violation so far."

Mr. Van added that recently there was a suspected rabies-related death in the district. To reduce the risk of dog bites, he suggested a strict ban on letting dogs roam in public places without a leash and muzzle.

"In addition, the local veterinary sector should have an annual plan to vaccinate dogs against rabies. The vaccination campaign should be thorough, with teams going door-to-door to vaccinate pets", Mr Van proposed.

Non-cooperation remains an issue

Mr Hoang Anh Dung, Head of the Buon Ma Thuot City Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station, stated that the locality is currently administering 7,500 doses of rabies vaccine for dogs and cats. After a period of implementation, veterinary forces have vaccinated over 6,000 doses. Buon Ma Thuot City has now requested an additional 1,600 doses from the Dak Lak Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sub-Department.

"To ensure high effectiveness in the 2024 rabies vaccination campaign for dogs and cats, the station has dispatched staff to coordinate with ward and commune authorities, directly visiting areas where vaccinations are being administered to provide support and ensure the campaign's success", Mr Hoang Anh Dung explained.

According to Mr Dung, although the urban population generally complies well with vaccination services, there are still many instances of non-cooperation.

"The situation of stray dogs and cats is still quite prevalent. The station has coordinated with the city to issue documents proactively, initiating the registration and enumeration of dogs and cats and ensuring that households commit to full vaccination. The presence of stray animals makes the vaccination process challenging", Mr. Dung added.

The city has notified each resident to confine their dogs and cats for vaccination, but many do not comply, resulting in long waits when officials arrive at their homes. Additionally, the locality has not organized centralized vaccination points, failing to meet the province's goal of vaccinating over 70% of the total population. To expedite the vaccination process, the station has to visit each household to encourage residents to vaccinate their pets", said Mr Dung.

Meanwhile, Mr Nguyen Quang Duc, Sub-Department Livestock Production and Animal Health of Cu M'gar District stated that the locality was allocated 4,000 doses of service vaccines, which have been fully administered. The locality has now requested an additional 700 doses of service vaccines.

According to Mr Duc, the vaccine for priority groups has not yet arrived, causing considerable concern. These priority groups include households with large dogs and cats, and the lack of vaccination affects local disease prevention efforts.

"Additionally, the process of residents reporting their dog ownership is inconsistent, with many failing to report or keep their dogs confined. While vaccination is straightforward, the difficulty lies in whether residents can catch their dogs. Many times, we arrive, but the owner cannot catch the dog, and we have to leave", Mr Duc explained.

According to the Deputy Director of the Dak Lak Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, nearly 40,000 doses of service vaccines for dogs and cats were recently distributed to districts and cities. With this quantity, only about 20% of dogs and cats in the province have been vaccinated against rabies.