Your Work
Where do you work?
I am working in the Ministry of Agriculture of the State of Eritrea. Department of Agricultural Extension, Director of Animal and Plant Health and CVO
When did you start your work?
In 1996
What rabies elimination work do you do?
In 2017, Eritrea took a crucial step towards protecting its citizens and animals from the devastating impacts of rabies by establishing a National Rabies Elimination Program. Over the past seven years, the country has made significant progress through a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach, and is now well on its way to achieving a rabies-free status.
The first phase of the program involved securing the necessary government funding and commitment to tackle the rabies challenge head-on. Eritrea's Ministries of agriculture and Health lay down foundation to work together in the National Plan for Health Security (NAPHS), which served as the coordinating body for the elimination efforts.
With the groundwork laid, Eritrea launched annual mass dog vaccination campaigns, aiming to vaccinate at least 70% of the dog population each year. The campaigns utilized a combination of fixed-post in the veterinary clinics, door-to-door, and shepherd dog vaccination strategies (in rural or pastoral areas mass vaccination campaigns was conducted in conjunction with other major livestock disease vaccination program like Sheep and Goat pox, PPR, LSD.) to reach as many dogs as possible, even in the most remote areas of the country.
Accurate and timely rabies diagnosis is essential for effective disease surveillance and control. Eritrea assessed the capacity of its existing veterinary health laboratory and provided the necessary training and equipment to upgrade their capabilities. The establishment of a national rabies laboratory unit under the National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory further strengthened the country's diagnostic capacity.
The implementation of rabies sample testing system allowed Eritrea to track rabies cases in animals, and providing valuable data to guide the program's strategies and interventions.
Recognizing the importance of protecting high-risk populations, Eritrea expanded its efforts to provide Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis series to laboratory workers.
Eritrea understood that public engagement and awareness were crucial for the long-term success of the rabies elimination program. The country developed and disseminated educational materials on rabies prevention, recognition, and treatment, reaching out to local communities, schools, and stakeholders through various media channels.
Throughout the implementation of the program, Eritrea has been diligently monitoring its progress, tracking vaccination coverage, disease incidence, and the overall impact of the strategies.
As Eritrea approaches its goal of becoming a rabies-free nation, the country is committed to sustaining the high levels of dog vaccination coverage to prevent the re-emergence of the disease. A robust surveillance system remains in place to quickly detect and respond to rabies cases.
Implementing the mass dog vaccination campaigns at the local level in Eritrea has not been without its challenges. Reaching and vaccinating owned dogs, maintaining the cold chain and vaccine supply, securing community engagement and mobilization, coordinating the logistics, and ensuring accurate data collection and reporting have all required targeted strategies and continuous improvement.
However, Eritrea's steadfast commitment to addressing these challenges through collaborative efforts, capacity building, and evidence-based decision-making has been the key to the program's success. As the country moves forward, the lessons learned will continue to shape and strengthen its efforts to achieve and maintain a rabies-free future.
Your Work in Numbers
Number of animals vaccinated against rabies (last year) 37443
Number of animals sterilized (last year) 20
Number of children educated (last year) 5947
Number of adults educated (last year) 37000
Number of Professionals trained (last year) 210
Your Work's Impact
My efforts have been instrumental in Eritrea's journey towards becoming a rabies-free country. Over the past several years, I have spearheaded a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to rabies elimination that has already produced significant results.
I began by laying the essential groundwork for effective rabies control. This included establishing national policies and guidelines, securing government buy-in and funding, and building partnerships with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors. These foundational steps were critical to coordinating and scaling up the interventions that followed.
A cornerstone of my work has been organizing large-scale dog vaccination campaigns across Eritrea. By vaccinating of thousands of dogs each year, I have dramatically reduced the reservoir of rabies in animal populations. This has been a labor-intensive effort, but the impact is clear - reported human rabies cases have plummeted.
Recognizing the importance of robust surveillance, I have invested heavily in upgrading Eritrea's rabies diagnostic capabilities. Through training, equipment, and infrastructure improvements, I have empowered veterinary labs to accurately detect and monitor rabies cases. This enhanced capacity has been vital for guiding targeted interventions.
To further protect vulnerable populations, I have expanded access to rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). By making PrEP more available, especially for high-risk groups like animal health experts
A critical piece of my work has been leading robust public awareness and education campaigns. By informing communities about rabies prevention, responsible pet ownership, and proper bite response, ihave mobilized the public as active partners in the fight against rabies. This has been crucial for sustaining behavior change and community buy-in.
As Eritrea edges closer to eliminating canine-mediated human rabies, my work has shifted towards strategies for maintaining this hard-won rabies-free status. This includes reinforcing surveillance, response capabilities, and cross-border collaboration to prevent reintroduction of the disease.
Of course, my journey has not been without its challenges. Logistical hurdles, resource constraints, and social/cultural barriers have all had to be navigated. But through my perseverance and adaptability, i have identified valuable lessons that are informing rabies control efforts far beyond Eritrea's borders.
Partners
Government partners
Ministry of Local Government
Regions and Municipalities
Ministry of Health
Government collaboration:
30 years
NGO Partners
FAO
WOAH
AU-IBAR
NGO collaboration:
30 years
Innovations and Learnings
What is innovative about your approach?
In my work, several innovative approaches were implemented to address the challenges of rabies control, particularly in rural and pastoral regions:
• Integrated Mass Vaccination Campaigns: In rural or pastoral regions, compulsory mass vaccination campaigns for rabies were conducted in conjunction with other major livestock disease vaccination programs, such as those for Sheep and Goat pox, Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD). This approach leveraged existing livestock health infrastructure and reached a wider population of animals, including dogs, in remote areas. By integrating rabies vaccination with other routine livestock vaccinations, the coverage and efficiency of the vaccination efforts were significantly improved.
• The percentage of the targeted dog population that received the rabies vaccine was closely monitored. The aim was to achieve a high level of vaccination coverage and to establish herd immunity and interrupt the transmission of the rabies virus.
• Vaccination coverage was tracked at the household and village levels to ensure equitable distribution and identify any areas with suboptimal coverage.
• The incidence of rabies cases in animals was closely tracked after the vaccination campaigns.
• A reduction in the number of reported rabies cases, particularly in areas with high vaccination coverage, was a key indicator of the success of the vaccination efforts.
• Monitoring trends in rabies incidence over time helped assess the long-term impact of the vaccination program.
• Advancements in Rabies Diagnosis: I introduced new techniques for the diagnosis of rabies in brain samples collected from dogs in the laboratory. These innovative diagnostic methods, likely involving advanced molecular or serological techniques, allowed for more accurate and timely identification of rabies cases. This improved the ability to detect and respond to rabies outbreaks, leading to better disease surveillance and control.
• Engagement and Mobilization of Livestock Herders: I focused on convincing and mobilizing livestock herders in remote and inaccessible areas to participate in the rabies control efforts. This involved developing tailored communication strategies, educational campaigns, and community engagement approaches to raise awareness and encourage the herders' involvement. By successfully engaging this hard-to-reach population, we were able to improve the coverage and effectiveness of the vaccination campaigns and disease reporting.
• Reporting of Suspected Rabies Cases: my work emphasized the importance of prompt reporting of suspected rabies cases in all regions of the country. This likely involved establishing robust disease surveillance systems, training veterinarians on case identification, and implementing efficient communication channels for reporting suspected cases. Timely reporting of rabies cases enabled a rapid response, including the implementation of appropriate control measures and the initiation of post-exposure prophylaxis for exposed individuals.
These innovative approaches, which combined integrated vaccination campaigns, advancements in diagnostic techniques, effective community engagement, and strengthened disease reporting, have collectively contributed to the enhanced control and management of rabies in the areas I have worked in. By addressing the unique challenges faced in rural and pastoral regions, my work has played a significant role in improving the overall rabies control efforts and reducing the burden of this deadly zoonotic disease.
Lessons learned (Positive)
In my tenor the positive lesson learned in rabies control was a compulsory mass vaccination campaigns against rabies in pastoral areas. the lesson I learned was truly enlightening. implementing mass vaccination campaign against rabies in pastoral areas for shepherd dogs, in in conjunction with other major livestock disease vaccination program like Sheep and Goat pox, Peste Des Petitis Ruminants (PPR), Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), was a resounding success.
once the pastoral communities were convinced of the importance of this effort, they mobilized the entire community with an enthusiasm that was both amusing and deeply educational. the communal spirit and willingness to work together for the greater good was truly inspiring to witness.
we learned that when presented with a clear need and the proper support these traditionally hard-to-reach populations were eager to participate and ensure the campaign's success. the logistical challenges of vaccinating thousands of dogs spread across vast, remote areas were overcome through the community's collective effort.
this experience reinforced the value of understanding local dynamics and engaging pastoral elders as partners. by tapping into the community's resources and know-how, we were able to implement an impactful, sustainable rabies control program that served as a model for future initiatives.
Lessons learned (Negative)
No Negative lessons learned
** All information adapted from the submitted nomination form**