SAN JOSE, Camarines Sur, Oct. 14 (PIA) --- In keeping up with the mandate of Republic Act 9482 or The Anti-Rabies Act of 2007, the Partido Development Administration (PDA) enjoined the participation of all stakeholders from the ten municipalities of the fourth congressional district of Camarines Sur in a series of anti-rabies IEC and advocacy drives dubbed as Rabies Awareness Caravan.
Starting off Monday in this town, the caravan kicked off with more than 79 barangay leaders, barangay tanods, municipal agricultural officers (MAO), personnel of the Municipal Health Office and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP) present to help raise community awareness on the dangers of rabies.
The said activity is an offshoot of the earlier similar initiatives conducted in early July by members of PDA and Department of Health (DOH) in response to the alarming report of 11 fatalities or 20 percent of the 54 deaths listed from 2010-2015 due to rabies, came from the Partido area.
Organizers have already scheduled their visit in other municipalities included in the district-wide information education campaign (IEC) : Tigaon (Oct.13), Goa (Oct.14), Sagnay (Oct.19), Lagonoy (Oct. 15), Presentacion (Oct. 20), Caramoan (Oct. 21), Siruma (Oct. 29), Garchitorena (Oct.22) and Tinambac on October 27.
Rabies, though fatal, is preventable through proper awareness and responsible dog ownership. Most of the rabies carriers are stray dogs and cats that were either left by their owners to freely roam the streets or abandoned animals that feed themselves on dirty leftovers.
Rabies is a virus spread through the saliva of an infected animal, usually through bites.
Rep.e Wimpy Fuentebella of the fourth congressional district, reiterated the importance of wider and proper information dissemination regarding rabies. He also urged LGU representatives to submit their proposed projects, particularly those that would enhance the barangay’s capability to carry out anti-rabies program so that he can properly channel available funding for its realization.
Also at the helm of the said caravan are the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Local Government Units (LGUs). (MAL/LSM-PIA5/Camarines Sur)