NGO takes anti-rabies awareness to pupils
Lilongwe Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (LSPCA) commemorated the World Rabies Day by conducting anti-rabies awareness campaign among school-going children in Mtsiliza Township in Lilongwe.
The day is celebrated on September 28 as a way of raising awareness about rabies prevention and to highlight progress in defeating the horrifying disease.
It also marks the anniversary of Louis Pasteur’s death, the French chemist and microbiologist, who developed the first rabies vaccine.
LSPCA held a question and answer session at Mtsiliza Primary School on Monday where anti-rabies placards were erected as part of the campaign which targeted 7000 children.
The organisation’s anti-rabies coordinator Edson Chiweta said they focused on the township because it has significantly high number of dogs.
“This is a rabies hotspot, so we wanted the residents to be aware, more especially the children who, our research has shown, are the ones frequently attacked by dogs,” he said.
During the meeting, 15-year-old rabies survivor Isaiah Mzonda asked the pupils to ensure that their pets are vaccinated.
“To deal with this disease, our dogs must be vaccinated. I was bitten by a small dog which I carried without knowing that it had rabies. I am happy I survived through medication. I want others to avoid the disease as they may not be as lucky as I was,” he said.
