AfroREB WRD activities

AfroREB, a network of rabies experts from 14 French speaking countries of the African continent has set two goals; increasing public officials' and health institutions' awareness of rabies; and enhancing health professionals and patients' knowledge to ensure better access to proper care following rabies exposure.

The 2011 World Rabies Day provided the opportunity to mobilize network members in partnership with local health ministries, to undertake actions in several countries in North, West and Central Africa. These events showcased the prominent role that AfroREB now plays in the fight against rabies on the African continent. The media played a significant role by relaying the awareness messages to the broader population.

As part of the initiative, a rabies awareness walk (pictured above) was organized by the local AfroREB representative and health officials of Benin through the streets of Cotonou on September 28. Many health professionals were present.

Participation was equally strong in Burkina-Faso where 300 people (including physicians, paramedics, veterinarians) took part in a ceremony in Ouagadougou on September 28. The ceremony, jointly chaired by the General Managers of Health and Veterinary Services, gave Dr. Thiombano (AfroREB) the opportunity to give an overview of the status of rabies in his country. His talk was significantly picked up by the media.

A meeting was held with journalists on September 28in Yaoundé, Cameroun (pictured left), chaired by Dr. Tejiokem Mathurin (AfroREB member) and Dr. Besong Laura (veterinarian). Furthermore, on September 21there was both an open conference at the Centre Pasteur du Cameroun and a show on national radio to further speak about rabies.

In the Ivory Coast, a press conference was held by local AfroREB experts (Pr. Tiembre Issiaka and Dr. Adjogoua Valéry) at Institut Pasteur d'Abidjan, in partnership with the National Institute of Public Hygiene (pictured below). A subsidized pre-exposure vaccination campaign carried out by the National Institute of Public Hygiene for at-risk populations was launched for the occasion and lasted until mid-November.

In Togo, the highlight of the September 28th day was free vaccination of dogs and a press conference attended by three ministers. Journalists were given training on rabies by AfroREB representatives (Dr. Baba Bibiane and Dr. Ihou Wateba Majesté) and by two veterinarians (Dr. Pewe Koffi and Dr. Pato Pidemnéwé Steed). Furthermore, 19 Togolese print media journalists were made aware of the dangers of rabies as well as their crucial role in raising public awareness.

In Gabon, communication to increase awareness among the general public was accomplished by a text message sent to 5000 subscribers on World Rabies Day.

In Senegal, prior to World Rabies Day, and on the initiative of Pr. Bernard Diop (AfroREB), a training workshop was organized in Sally from August 8th-13thworking towards building an Anti-Rabies Treatment center (ARTC) in each of the 14 regions of Senegal.

In Algeria, a conference day was organized in Tiaret by the Ministry of Health, Population and Hospital Reforms with the help of the Algerian representation of Institute Pasteur, the National Institute of Public Health and the active participation of Drs Abderrezak Soufi and Mourad Issad (AfroREB). Lectures were held on anti-rabies vaccines, the cold chain and the management of people exposed to rabies.

World Rabies Day was celebrated for the first time in Madagascar with a focus on community awareness. A ceremony was organized at the Madagascar representation of Institut Pasteur, with the collaboration of three ministries: Public Health, Animal Husbandry and Communication. That day,
relayed by the media, communication banners were hung at the Madagascan Institut Pasteur and at the Ministry of Public Health. There was also a series of lectures by rabies experts, namely Dr. Emilie Fara II Ramahefalalao and Dr. William Rakotomalala (AfroREB members). Another highlight was the opening of a new anti-rabies treatment center in an isolated district located far from the capital.

Finally, several members gave their respective health officials (medical and veterinary), a formal letter urging them to acknowledge rabies as one of public health priorities in order to put in place effective responses and facilitate the access of people exposed to rabies to treatments that can save their lives.

Submitted by the members of AfroREB. AfroREB is a network of rabies experts from 14 French speaking countries of the African continent (Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Niger, The Central African Republic, Senegal, Togo). AfroREB has been holding regular meetings since 2008 to work on projects to be launched on the African continent, exchange clinical and public health experiences, and issue recommendations.