A picture speaks a thousand words

To celebrate the theme of WRD 2015 “End Rabies Together”, PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO and its partner organizations of the Panamerican World  Rabies Day Initiative, which includes GARC, conducted a photo contest for photos of activities, events, and programs that contribute to the goal of eliminating rabies in the Americas.

A panel of judges from 6 of the partner organizations considered over 100 photos and finally made a selection of the three best. The winning photographs were announced and showcased at the Global Meeting on Rabies Elimination in Geneva in early December.

GARC is delighted to congratulate the first prize winner Edgar Vilca Carhuapoma, from Huamanga-Ayacucho, Perú for his beautiful photograph of a dog being vaccinated against rabies.

 

 

 

Second place went to Rocio Milagros Lopez Saenz de Lively, of Breña-Lima in Perú for their photo of dogs being brought to a community vaccination event in the Municipality of Breña.

 

 

 

 

Finally, the third place was awarded to Juan José Martinez, from Ciudad Juarez Chihuahua, in México, for his photograph of a proud dog owner outside an anti-rabies vaccination centre.

 

 

The photographs all clearly demonstrated the twin themes of the message “End Rabies Together”: the critical importance of a One Health Approach to protecting human health through dog vaccination, and the need for community engagement to end the problem of canine rabies.

The Partners of the PanAmerican World Rabies Day Initiative 2015 were PAHO/WHO, World Veterinary Association, GARC, American Veterinary Medical Association, African Veterinary Association, World Animal Protection, Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, North American Veterinary Community, The World Small Animal Veterinary Association and Asociación Panamericana de Ciencias Veterinarias.

Contributed by Louise Taylor, GARC