On September 26th, 2023, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Uganda held a national webinar in honor of World Rabies Day. The webinar focused on the urgent matter of eliminating rabies in the country and highlighted the importance of the One Health approach in achieving Uganda's goal of eradicating rabies by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Rabies is a deadly disease that endangers both public health and animal welfare. Uganda has acknowledged the importance of eradicating rabies by 2030 using the Stepwise Approach for Rabies Elimination (SARE) tool, in line with SDG 3, which aims to ensure good health and wellbeing for everyone.

Uganda's Ongoing Commitment to fight rabies

FAO's Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease (ECTAD) has been at the forefront of the fight against rabies in Uganda, advocating for the One Health approach, which emphasizes coordinated efforts across animals, humans, and the environment. Among their significant actions, FAO ECTAD has supported mass dog vaccination campaigns to control and ultimately eliminate rabies at its source.

Additionally, they have actively promoted the prioritization of rabies elimination in Uganda, advocating measures such as education, registration, legislation, sterilization, and better control of roaming dogs' access to garbage.

Furthermore, FAO ECTAD aims to establish a national rabies information management system, improve post-exposure treatment for dog bite cases, enhance capacity building for health workers, strengthen preparedness and response to outbreaks, raise awareness among various stakeholders, and engage in advocacy and resource mobilization efforts.

Rabies Webinar to celebrate World Rabies Day

The virtual meeting convened over 70 participants, including key stakeholders. Dr. John Opolot, Assistant Commissioner for Veterinary Health and Zoonoses at the Ministry of Health, emphasized the One Health approach's significance in combatting zoonotic diseases sustainably. Dr. Kirumira Mukasa, on behalf of Masaka local government, highlighted the need for an One Health Task force due to challenges such as deforestation, increased human-wildlife interactions, and the prevalence of zoonotic diseases.

Dr. Yake Basulira, speaking for Ntungamo local government, emphasized the success of Decentralised One Health Teams but noted challenges in work planning and budgeting. He outlined the importance of regular meetings and proper sample handling.

The meeting concluded with valuable recommendations, including enhancing stakeholder awareness of the One Health concept, integrating One Health budgets into district budgets, evaluating the performance of District One Health Teams (DOHT), and decentralizing DOHT training. These collective efforts will strengthen Uganda's commitment to achieving a healthier and more sustainable future for all, aligning with the SDGs.

In words of Dr. Charles Bebay, the FAO Regional Manager, for FAO’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease (ECTAD) in Eastern and Southern Africa "Rabies can be eliminated with leverage from a One Health approach. One Health approach for coordinated control of rabies in animals, humans, and the environment. Emphasis on the integration of the private sector actors. Promote partnerships and collaborations for efficient rabies control (including private sector)."