Sign in Subscribe
Disease transmission

Empowering Dog Owners and One Health Teams to Eliminate Rabies in Ghana

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

In the ongoing battle against rabies, a significant public health threat in Ghana, researchers at the Regional Veterinary Laboratory have unveiled a groundbreaking study demonstrating the effectiveness of community-led interventions in eliminating human rabies cases. From 2022 to 2024, a metropolitan-wide rabies prevention initiative was implemented in Techiman Metropolitan, with impressive results. The study highlights the crucial role of empowered dog owners and coordinated One Health actions in preventing the spread of rabies.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study was conducted in Techiman Metropolitan, Ghana, with a population of approximately 243,335 and an estimated dog population of 8,000.
  • Baseline dog vaccination coverage in 2022 was 31.4%, which increased to 70% in 2024, with 5,600 out of 8,000 dogs vaccinated.
  • The intervention engaged dog owners in responsible pet ownership practices, including annual vaccination, confinement, and immediate reporting of dog bites.
  • The One Health team, comprising veterinary officers, public health workers, and local authorities, coordinated mass dog vaccination campaigns, cross-sectoral surveillance, and ensured timely administration of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) through integrated referral systems.
  • The study demonstrated that community empowerment and integration of veterinary and human health services through the One Health model are critical to interrupting rabies transmission.
  • The approach provides a scalable framework for rabies control in other endemic settings, supporting the World Health Organisation's Zero-by-2030 strategy for global rabies elimination.

Statistics:

  • 243,335: population of Techiman Metropolitan
  • 8,000: estimated dog population in Techiman Metropolitan
  • 31.4%: baseline dog vaccination coverage in 2022
  • 70%: dog vaccination rate in 2024
  • 5,600: number of dogs vaccinated in 2024
  • 1,502.7: chi-squared value
  • p < 0.001: significance level of the association between dog vaccination and rabies cases

Sources:

  • Empowering dog owners and One Health teams to eliminate rabies: A community-Led approach from Techiman metropolitan, Ghana. One Health Outlook, 2025,7(1):1-7.
  • Regional Veterinary Laboratory
  • BMC (publisher of One Health Outlook)
  • Regional Veterinary Laboratory, Techiman Disease Investigation Farm.

Read more