Rabies awareness is more than a public health concern; it is essential for creating safer, healthier communities for both people and animals. This Rabies Awareness Month, UP is doing its bit to get the word out.

For many people, their dogs and cats are cherished family members who bring joy, comfort and companionship into their lives. With this bond comes the responsibility to safeguard them – and the people around them – from serious threats like rabies, a zoonotic disease of significant concern in many regions, including Africa.

This Rabies Awareness Month, the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Future Africa Institute is encouraging everyone to ensure that their pets are up to date with vaccinations and to continue advocating for rabies prevention. By doing so, we contribute to a safer and healthier environment for all.

Rabies is transmitted primarily through the bite of an infected animal, and is a deadly virus that is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear. However, it is preventable through vaccination. This September, Future Africa is shining a spotlight on the importance of rabies prevention through the One Health approach. This holistic approach emphasises the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health, underscoring that protecting our pets also protects our communities.

Future Africa’s role in rabies prevention

Future Africa, a pan-African collaborative research platform, is at the forefront of promoting the One Health approach. Under the leadership of Professor Wanda Markotter – the Future Africa Research Chair: People, Health and Places (One Health) and Director of UP’s Centre for Viral Zoonoses (UP CVZ) – the platform addresses critical health challenges through community engagement and collaboration.

On 4 September 2024, Future Africa facilitated a successful dog vaccination campaign against rabies in the village of Ga Mampa in Limpopo. This campaign was not just about preventing rabies, but also about enhancing the overall health and well-being of the community.

“Part of our work is to collaborate with communities to raise awareness and advocate for zoonotic diseases like rabies,” said Dr Tedson Nkoana, academic project coordinator for the Research Chair: People, Health and Places (One Health). “The recent campaign in Ga Mampa was a significant milestone in this effort. We vaccinated 209 dogs, representing more than 50% of the households in the village. This will go a long way to protect both animal and human health in the village.”

Collaborative efforts in Ga Mampa

Future Africa excels at fostering collaboration among researchers, community members and various stakeholders to address urgent pressing issues. The ongoing efforts in Ga Mampa are a good example of this. In addition to the rabies vaccination campaign, the Animal Health Care initiative, launched in 2023, has made considerable strides in improving livestock health in the region.

This initiative is a partnership between the Ga Mampa Livestock Committee (local livestock owners), the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Afrivet Training Services, and researchers from UP CVZ. The initiative began when UP researchers noticed a high prevalence of ticks on local cattle while studying bats in the area. Since then, two workshops have been conducted to focus on the prevention, treatment and management of livestock health, with a particular emphasis on tick infestations.