Every year, rabies kills 55,000 Nigerians, according to USAID

According to Mieko Mckay, USAID Nigeria's Deputy Office Director for Health, rabid dogs are responsible for around 94% of documented human infections with rabies, which takes about 55 000 deaths annually in Nigeria.

Prior to this year's World Rabies Day, she made this statement in Abuja yesterday at the launch of the National Strategic Plan for Elimination of Dog-Mediated Human Rabies in Nigeria, which was organized by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in partnership with the Federal of Health and Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria and other partners.

The Plan was created, according to Mustapha Shehuri, Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, to aid the nation in attaining its 2030 goal of eradicating dog-mediated rabies.

Prof. Junaidu Kabir, Dean of Veterinary Medicine at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, presented the National Strategic Plan for Elimination of Dog-Mediated Human Rabies in Nigeria and stated that by immunizing 70% of the population against the disease, the nation would be able to save money every year.