Kabale grapples with rising rabies threat
Despite vaccination efforts, cases of dog bites leading to rabies are still being reported. For many Kampala residents, the fear of being bitten by a rabid dog is a daily reality, especially in densely populated areas like Kawempe and Bwaise.
As rabies continues to claim lives across Uganda, the recent outbreak in Kabale district has sparked renewed concerns about the deadly disease.
The tragic death of Angel Amanyabyona, a young primary school pupil bitten by a stray dog, has put the community on high alert.
Amanyabyona’s death is a painful reminder of the need for heightened vigilance and immediate medical attention after dog bites, but the threat of rabies is not confined to Kabale—Kampala, too, faces its own battles with this often-overlooked public health crisis.
In Kampala, stray dogs roam freely in many neighborhoods, creating a constant risk for residents.
Despite vaccination efforts, cases of dog bites leading to rabies are still being reported. For many Kampala residents, the fear of being bitten by a rabid dog is a daily reality, especially in densely populated areas like Kawempe and Bwaise.
These neighborhoods, characterized by narrow streets and poor waste management, provide ideal breeding grounds for stray animals, many of whom may be carrying the rabies virus.
“I live in constant fear,” says Jane Namara, a mother of two living in Kawempe. “We have so many stray dogs in the area, and most of us don’t know if they are vaccinated. My children no longer play outside as much as they used to because of the danger.”
The threat of rabies in Kampala has been exacerbated by the high number of unvaccinated dogs and the lack of sufficient public health resources to address the problem.
According to Dr. Stephen Mukasa, a veterinary officer in Kampala, rabies control has long been a challenge due to inadequate vaccination campaigns and insufficient public awareness.
“We face a real struggle with stray dogs,” says Mukasa. “While the government has made efforts to control dog populations, more needs to be done. Vaccination campaigns need to be ramped up, and people must understand the urgency of seeking medical attention after a dog bite.”
In many cases, the severity of the rabies threat goes unrecognized until it’s too late. Much like the case of Angel Amanyabyona in Kabale, victims often delay seeking treatment.
In rural areas such as Kabale, this delay can be due to lack of access to medical facilities or ignorance of the risks involved.
Dr. Gilbert Mateeka, Kabale District Health Officer, explained that the young boy had been bitten two months prior to his death but did not receive the necessary treatment in time.
“Rabies is 100% preventable if treated early, but fatal if ignored,” warns Dr. Mateeka. “The delay in seeking treatment cost Angel his life. By the time he was brought to the hospital, it was too late.”
Even more troubling is the fact that rabies can be transmitted from human to human in rare cases. In the Kabale outbreak, Angel had bitten his mother before his death, and she is now undergoing treatment at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital.
Her condition is being closely monitored, but the incident highlights the extreme danger rabies poses once symptoms appear.
Efforts are being made to control the spread of the disease in Kabale and other affected areas. Angela Anyongyeire, Kabale District Veterinary Officer, announced that district authorities will soon roll out a mass vaccination campaign for dogs in the area.
“After this exercise, all unvaccinated dogs will be confined and killed to prevent further spread of the disease,” she stated.
In Kampala, similar vaccination campaigns are also crucial to stemming the tide of rabies. With a population of over 1.5 million people and a growing number of stray dogs, the capital city is a hotspot for potential rabies outbreaks. Despite past efforts, the problem persists.
Rabies is a preventable disease, but it remains one of the deadliest viral infections, claiming the lives of an estimated 59,000 people worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization.
The vast majority of cases are caused by dog bites. In Uganda, lack of awareness, insufficient vaccination, and the persistence of stray dogs continue to fuel the threat.
“People need to take rabies seriously,” urges Dr. Mukasa. “Any bite, no matter how small, should be treated as a medical emergency. Immediate treatment with the rabies vaccine is the only way to prevent the virus from progressing to the point where it becomes untreatable.”
As Uganda grapples with this growing public health issue, both in rural areas like Kabale and urban centers like Kampala, the importance of swift action cannot be overstated.
Public awareness campaigns, vaccination efforts, and community involvement are key to keeping this deadly disease in check.
For now, the threat remains. But with sustained effort and increased vigilance, the hope is that fewer families will have to endure the heartbreak of losing a loved one to this preventable killer.
