Veterinary Officer Appeals for Urgent Support as Rabies Deaths Rise in Bongo District

The Bongo District Veterinary Officer, Hamidu Sadat, has appealed to the government to allocate part of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) to support rabies prevention and control, following five rabies-related deaths recorded in the district.

He says the funding will enable the Veterinary Services Department to organise free mass vaccination of dogs to reduce the spread of the disease.

The Upper East Region recorded 36 rabies-related deaths between June 2025 and September 2026, with Bongo accounting for five — the highest number among districts in the region.

Cross-Border Dog Movement Blamed

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Sadat attributed the situation partly to the movement of dogs from Burkina Faso into the district through unapproved routes without proper vaccination checks.

He said some dogs brought from the Yelwongo market in Burkina Faso escape during transportation and become stray animals, increasing the risk of rabies transmission.

Cost of Treatment Discourages Victims

Sadat also expressed concern that the estimated GH¢1,000 cost of anti-rabies vaccines discourages dog-bite victims from seeking treatment, with some resorting to traditional remedies until the disease becomes difficult to manage.

"They don't report the dog bite because they will be told to take the vaccine, which is very expensive; it's about GHS1,000.00," he said.

Vaccine Shortages Hamper Control Efforts

He disclosed that the district received only 120 doses of anti-rabies vaccine for dogs during its last vaccination exercise, despite an estimated dog population of between 3,000 and 4,000.

He said irregular supplies had also disrupted a government-supported programme that previously provided free vaccines for dog-bite victims.

Sadat is calling for adequate vaccine supplies, sustained dog vaccination campaigns and stricter monitoring of animals entering the country through border communities to prevent further deaths.

Background to Rabies in Ghana

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. It is transmitted primarily through the saliva of infected animals, usually via bites or scratches. Dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths, contributing up to 99% of all rabies transmissions to humans worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

Ghana has struggled with rabies control for years, with sporadic outbreaks reported across the country. The Upper East Region, which shares a long border with Burkina Faso and Togo, is particularly vulnerable due to cross-border animal movement and limited veterinary surveillance.

The District Assemblies Common Fund is a constitutionally mandated pool of resources allocated to Ghana's district assemblies for local development. The GMA — in this case, the Veterinary Services Department — is seeking a dedicated portion of the fund to address the recurring rabies crisis, arguing that prevention is far cheaper than treatment.

The Cost Burden of Rabies Treatment

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), the series of injections given after a suspected rabies exposure, is the only way to prevent the disease from developing after a bite. In Ghana, the full course of treatment can cost several hundred to over GH¢1,000, depending on the facility and the type of vaccine used. For many rural households, this cost is prohibitive, leading victims to delay or avoid seeking care until symptoms appear — at which point the disease is virtually 100% fatal.

The government has in the past supported free anti-rabies vaccines for dog-bite victims through selected health facilities, but inconsistent supply has undermined the programme. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent global vaccine shortages further disrupted supplies, leaving many districts without adequate stock.

Regional Disparities and Surveillance Gaps

The Upper East Region's high rabies burden is linked to several factors, including a large stray dog population, limited veterinary infrastructure, and porous borders that allow unvaccinated animals to enter from neighbouring countries. The Yelwongo market in Burkina Faso, mentioned by Sadat, is a known livestock trading hub near the border, and animals purchased there are often transported informally into Ghana without health certificates or vaccination records.

Surveillance in border communities is weak, and many dog bites go unreported. Traditional healers and herbalists are often the first point of contact for bite victims in rural areas, further complicating efforts to track and treat exposures.

What's Next

The Bongo District Veterinary Officer's appeal adds to growing calls for a more coordinated national approach to rabies control. Public health experts have long argued that mass dog vaccination is the most cost-effective way to eliminate human rabies deaths, and that sustained investment in veterinary services — particularly in border districts — is essential.

Ghana has set a target of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies by 2030, in line with the global Zero by 30 campaign led by the WHO, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Organisation for Animal Health, and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control. Achieving that goal will require not only vaccine supplies but also stronger surveillance, community education, and cross-border collaboration with neighbouring countries.

For now, residents of Bongo and surrounding communities await action, hoping that the deaths of five people will prompt the government to treat rabies as the urgent public health emergency it has become.