Speech by Acting MEC for Agriculture, Conservation And Environment, Darkey Africa on World Rabies Day, Ratlou Municipality, Setlagole, North West Province

Salutation
Programme Director
Executive and Local Mayor of the Ratlou Municipality
Councillors present here today
Distinguished guests
Officials from the department
Bagaetsho

In this day and age, as in the past, the human race and indeed all living things, have to fight for survival in the midst of mounting health and environmental challenges. It is sometimes in these periods of preoccupation with new health threats and challenges, that old enemies to the well-being of man and beast alike are forgotten. The rabies virus is one such easily forgotten enemy.

We are gathered here today as the North West province to mark World Rabies Day, an international awareness-raising initiative intended to ensure that the bond between men his best friend, the dog, remains safe. If not combated, this relationship can turn lethal if the animal has been exposed to the dangerous rabies virus. The condition can be so serious, as to cause certain and painful death in both species once symptoms set in.

We are gathered here today, to primarily reflect on this threat and to remind and further educate ourselves on how this imminent scourge of the rabies virus can be prevented from proliferating in our already disease-affected communities.
World Rabies Day is marked today, the 8th of September, all over the world, in recognition of the significance of its threat to man and to canines. Rabies is a viral disease, which is transmitted from animals to humans by bites, or the handling of affected animals; in this instance, dogs.

We, as the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment and the Ratlou Municipality, have decided to join hands together to uphold the importance of this day on the animal health calendar as the people most affected by rabies are animal lovers like you and me, in communities across this province both in rural and urban settings. Bagaetsho we are however, fortunate that we live in an age where a vaccine is available to prevent this disease. My work here today is therefore quite simple.

I am here as the acting MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, to highlight the importance of accessing vaccines well in time to prevent the spread of the disease. As with any disease, the best cure is prevention, Bagaetsho. The message of hope that I bring to you is that rabies can be prevented if correct post exposure treatment, including vaccination, is administered in a timely fashion to humans and if animals and humans are preventatively inoculated against the disease.

This is most important because once humans show symptoms of the disease there is unfortunately no cure and the disease rapidly leads to an excruciatingly painful death. Your practical participation in getting yourself and your animal vaccinated can mean hundreds of saved lives. Every year our department sets aside funding across the province, in every district, to provide vaccines for animals.

Collect information from the nearest office of our department, about when you can bring your animal for a free inoculation against rabies. In addition, you local clinic can provide advise about where you can be inoculated against the rabies virus. Throughout this coming week, officials from the Veterinary Services Directorate will be going from centre to centre, to inoculate pets in our communities. Bring your beloved dog and, spread the word the word to relative, friend and neighbour alike.

Jaaka Batswana ba umaka, 'sedikwa ke ntja pedi ga se thata.' A re tlhokomeleng dintsa tsa rona.

Pula le pholo bagaetsho!

Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, North West Provincial Government