Susan Abayomi
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has deployed more than 100 veterinary officers across the six Area Councils as part of a two-week mass vaccination campaign targeting between 15,000 and 20,000 dogs and cats against rabies.
The exercise, coordinated by the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS), is aimed at containing the spread of the deadly disease following reported cases in parts of the Federal Capital Territory.
The campaign covers all 62 wards across the six Area Councils, with vaccination being conducted daily at designated centres.
The Mandate Secretary of ARDS, Abdullahi Suleiman Ango, disclosed this on Wednesday while monitoring the exercise in affected areas, including Gwagwalada.
Ango expressed confidence that the FCTA would achieve its vaccination target within the two-week period, noting that more than 100 experienced veterinary personnel had been mobilised to strategic locations across the territory.
He stressed the importance of field supervision in ensuring effective deployment of personnel, accurate reporting and proper monitoring of the exercise.
According to him, the intervention is intended to establish a protective barrier against the spread of rabies and prevent the disease from extending beyond the areas where cases were initially detected.
Ango also urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with the veterinary teams by making their dogs and cats available for vaccination.
The Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Karnak Dandam, said an initial batch of 12,000 vaccine doses had been deployed for the exercise.
He described rabies as a deadly but preventable disease, stressing that vaccinating dogs remains a critical measure in preventing transmission to humans.
Dandam said the veterinary teams were working across the territory to reach both domestic and stray animals as part of efforts to strengthen protection against the virus.
The FCTA’s intervention follows earlier confirmation of rabies cases in the territory, which prompted the administration to intensify preventive measures.
Residents who brought their animals to vaccination centres welcomed the initiative, describing the free exercise as timely and beneficial to pet owners and the wider community.
The FCTA said it would continue monitoring the campaign across the six Area Councils as it works to meet its target and prevent further spread of rabies in the nation’s capital.
