The Provincial Health Office looks into maximizing the Anti-Rabies Campaign with the help of Bohol LGUs, as rising incidents of animal bites were recorded for the second quarter of 2022.
During the monthly meeting of the Bohol Association Public Health Nurses, The PHO Rabies Prevention and Control Program coordinator Polizena Rances spoke to 65 Public Health Nurses on the high mortality rates that rabies can cause to humans from animal bites if not treated immediately. Rances advised the association members to mobilize their respective communities in creating more information education campaigns against rabies in the province.
“Kailangan jud nato pangusgan ang atong programa sa rabies. Kay kahibaw naman mo nga rabies is fatal but it is preventable,” Rances said.
With 5,309 incidents and four deaths recorded for the 2nd quarter of the year, Rances added that more municipal health offices are currently doing Barangay symposiums on rabies awareness and encouraging more Boholanos to get their Rabies Postexposure Prophylaxis (PEP) vaccines when faced with an animal bite incident. During the meeting, PHO reveals that the Municipality of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia remains as the only “rabies-free” municipality in the province, encouraging more municipalities to follow suit. PHO advises Boholanos to wash the wound immediately with soap and warm water after an animal bit them and bring themselves to the nearest animal bite centers for the Anti-Rabies vaccine.
Currently, Bohol has 15 Animal Bite Center and an upcoming Animal Bite Center to be launched in Panglao on December 13, 2022.
