By Wallace Mawire
Zimbabwe is set to host the 8th International Course on Surveillance and Control of Rabies scheduled to take place from December 2 to 11, 2024, in Harare.
According to the organizers, the comprehensive nine day programme aims to deliver both theoretical and practical training on rabies surveillance and control, with a particular focus on Southern Africa.
They added that the programme marks the eighth edition of a series that has been previously organized in Senegal in 2013, Cambodia in 2015, Cameroon from 2016 and 2023, Iran in 2017, Morocco in 2019, and Ivory Coast in 2022.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), rabies is estimated to cause 59,000 human deaths annually across more than 150 countries, with 95% of these cases occurring in Africa and Asia.
WHO says that due to underreporting and uncertain estimates, the figure is likely an underestimate. The disease burden is reported to be higher in rural, impoverished populations, with approximately half of the cases involving children under 15 years old.
Organised by the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS), the Faculty of Veterinary Science of Zimbabwe, the National Institute of Health Research, the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), the French Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) and the Pasteur Institute of Paris in collaboration with international partners such as WHO, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), the PACMAN (Diagnostic platform for animal and zoonotic diseases) project and COHESA (Capacitating One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa), with additional financial supports from the French Embassy in Zimbabwe, Sanofi Pasteur and Merck Sharp and Dowme, the course aims to enhance the capacity of professionals in both the human and animal health sectors to combat and eliminate dog-mediated rabies.
The course will cover crucial topics, including Rabies Epidemiology and Surveillance: Understanding rabies transmission dynamics and the importance of surveillance, Rabies Control and Elimination: Strategies such as mass dog vaccination and postexposure prophylaxis, One Health Approach: Emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach involving human and animal health sectors, alongside community engagement.
The training Objectives include Increasing Awareness with focus on Enhancing communication about rabies in Southern Africa.
Identifying gaps with a focus to discuss opportunities for rabies control and elimination and elaborating on strategic solutions. Improving knowledge with focus on rabies epidemiology, especially incidence rates.
Prophylaxis discussion focusing on addressing current rabies prophylaxis in humans and proposing solutions to increase access to post-exposure prophylaxis.
The programme will also focus on dog vaccination aiming to expand knowledge on dog rabies vaccination and dog population management, creating a regional rabies network promoting a One Health approach and dog vaccination.
The organizers said that participants will include professionals from human and animal health sectors, such as physicians, veterinarians and public health officials from Southern Africa.
They added that the course is part of global efforts to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030, as outlined in the WHO’s global strategic plan, ZERO BY 30.
The programme will also leverage new e-Learning opportunities and existing resources from WHO, WOAH, GARC, and other international organizations.
They added that the on-site course will focus on practical sessions, including bench work, demonstrations and hands-on activities including mass vaccination and field studies complementing the theoretical components provided through pre-training sessions and lectures.
