The Veterinary Services Department of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has commenced the free vaccination of 25,000 dogs and cats in identified high-risk areas nationwide, as part of Ghana’s broader commitment to achieve zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.
The campaign, which forms part of World Rabies Month 2026 activities, is being carried out under the global theme “Stronger Together,” reflecting a coordinated approach involving multiple stakeholders across the veterinary, health and community sectors.
According to the Department, vaccination services will remain free of charge to pet owners throughout September 2026, after which the prescribed standard fees will apply.
This time-limited free window is designed to encourage widespread uptake among pet owners, particularly in identified high-risk communities where rabies transmission risk remains elevated.
Alongside the vaccination exercise, the Department disclosed plans to intensify public education efforts through multiple channels, including schools, religious institutions, traditional and social media platforms, and direct community engagement.
Educational videos and audio messages will be produced and shared widely in Twi, Ga, Ewe and Hausa, ensuring that awareness messaging reaches a broad cross-section of the population in commonly spoken local languages.
The Department issued clear guidance to all pet owners as part of the campaign, urging them to vaccinate their dogs and cats against rabies on an annual basis, rather than treating vaccination as a one-time exercise.
Pet owners were further advised to report any animal bite or scratch immediately to the nearest health facility, and to separately report the animal involved to the nearest veterinary centre for appropriate follow-up action.
Rabies Described as a Preventable But Fatal Once Symptomatic
The Department stressed the severity of rabies as a disease, noting that it is virtually 100 percent fatal once symptoms develop in an infected individual.
However, it emphasised that the disease remains entirely preventable through timely and consistent vaccination of pets, positioning the current campaign as a critical public health intervention rather than a routine veterinary exercise.
“Rabies is virtually 100 percent fatal once symptoms develop, but it is preventable through vaccination,”
Ministry of Food and Agricultur
The Department further cautioned that failure to vaccinate a pet may constitute an offence under applicable byelaws established by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), signalling that pet vaccination carries legal as well as public health significance within participating jurisdictions.
Call For Broad-Based Stakeholder Support
The Veterinary Services Department extended a direct appeal to MMDAs, civil society organisations, religious and traditional authorities, development partners and the private sector to support the campaign.
Specifically, the Department called for assistance in the form of vaccine provision, logistical support, public education efforts and broader community mobilisation, reflecting the multi-sectoral collaboration the “Stronger Together” theme is intended to embody.
The notice was issued under the authority of Dr Emmanuel A., Chief Veterinary Officer, for the Minister of Food and Agriculture, and was distributed to a wide range of stakeholders, including the media, the Ghana Health Service.
Regional Coordinating Councils, MMDAs, Regional and District Veterinary Offices, the Veterinary Council of Ghana, the Ghana Veterinary Practitioners Association, development partners, civil society organisations, religious and traditional authorities, private veterinary service providers, and pet owners and the general public at large.
The scale of stakeholder involvement outlined in the distribution list reflects the scope of coordination Ghana is pursuing as it works toward its 2030 target of eliminating human deaths from dog-mediated rabies, a goal that aligns with broader global public health commitments observed during World Rabies Month each year.
READ MORE: Ministry Of Health Secures New Pathway for Nurses in Columbus
