Dog-mediated rabies, an increasing threat to families in Kenema district: A call for action

Abstract

On 5th December 2022, a stray dog attacked and bit five children, aged between 6 to 10 years in the same  community in Kenema District.  The children suffered multiple wounds on their bodies and were rushed to the  hospital for treatment. The dog was killed, head  decapitated and submitted to the Central Veterinary  Laboratory/Teko, in Makeni, Bombali District, for confirmation of rabies. The sample  was confirmed positive  using a direct fluorescent antibody test. The victims of the dog attack were rushed to the Kenema  Regional  Hospital for treatment. Due to the high cost of the rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) vaccine (rabies  vaccine freeze-dried  from Liaoning Cheng Da Biotechnology Company Limited (SPEEDA®)), the families could  not afford the whole cost of treatment. The  victims were only able to receive the first dose of post-exposure  vaccination which cost Le 400 per dose (US$ 20.5 equivalent). Upon the  intervention of the Ministry of  Agriculture and Food Security, the children received the complete dose. This is just one among many    unreported cases of exposure to dog-mediated rabies within the country.