Dr Kofi Kwansah-Filson, the Ashanti Regional Veterinary Officer, has urged district assemblies to give support to anti-rabies campaign in their areas.
He said it would not be out of place for them to set aside a percentage of their share of the Common Fund in aid of rabies vaccination and public education on the disease.
The call comes amid a surge of reported cases in the Region seen both in pets and humans bitten by infected animals.
Dr Kwansah-Filson said veterinary laboratory tests show that the disease is widespread and he told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the situation was alarming.
Lack of support, reluctance on the part of pet owners to present their pets for vaccination and the large number of stray dogs scavenging in the communities, he said, were to blame.
He added that the inability of assemblies to enforce the bye-laws on licensing of dogs was also a contributory factor.
Dr Kwansah-Filson said there was the need for stakeholders to come together to tackle the problem head-on and that was why ?Together against rabies? was chosen as the theme for this year?s world rabies day celebration.
The annual anti-rabies campaign should not only be revisited but intensified, he stated, pointing out that ?if this is done continuously for the next three years, we will drastically reduce or eliminate the case of rabies in pets and humans?.
Things need to change, he said, citing the case of Ashanti where the dog population, is estimated at 330,000 but just under-10 per cent of the figure vaccinated against rabies, and added, ?We simply have to change course?.
Dr Kwansah-Filson advised the people, especially children, to report all dog bites and scratches for prompt investigation by veterinary officers.
He spoke of plans to scale up education in the communities, particularly the basic schools, to help the children to know what to do in the event of dog bite.
GNA
