Description of your work
KISARAWE RABIES CAMPAIGN Through Student’s One Health Club (SOHIC) at Muhimbili University of Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA). I was among 50 students who participated on the “Rabies Vaccination Campaign in Kisarawe district, Dar Es Salaam Tanzania using the students workforce learning service model. It was conducted from 4th to 9th May 2021 as part of a national effort to eliminate rabies in Tanzania. As an individual I played a big role as a Rabies Educator and a Community Coordinator for Rabies since that’s what I was best at, as I had taken the respective online courses. Over 1000 dogs and cats were vaccinated in four days, which was definitely a success.
ONLINE RABIES CAMPAIGN Towards WRD on the 28th of September 2022, Student’s One Health Innovation Club (SOHIC) has participated to promote rabies awareness through an online campaign by using the “world rabies day organizer manual” The campaign is named “ASK ME ANYTHING ABOUT RABIES CAMPAIGN”. An introductory video is made to launch the campaign and any member of the club can take part in this campaign through their social media pages i.e Instagram / Twitter by answering questions that will be paused by the audience without forgetting to use the given hashtags :- #askmeanythingaboutrabies / #niulizechochotekuhusukichaachambwa in Swahili language. #onehealthoneplanet Also the used language in the paused questions on social media pages is in Swahili since it’s the first language of Tanzanian citizens. The participants of the campaign are provided with the manual that will equip them with necessary knowledge and content to answer the paused questions. The campaign is expected to reach more than 2000 people, as it is online based and audiences are always present! I have participated in this online campaign through two different activities which are named “THE HIGH FIVES” and “THE PET’S SHELTER VISIT”. • THE HIGH FIVES! Towards the journey to commemorate WRD, I chose to paint to promote rabies awareness. Actually I’ve always loved to paint, but never really gave it a try. And fortunately this advocacy unlocks the door to my painting journey as it’s my first painting. The painting has two animals paws, the dog’s and the cat’s respectively and a human hand between them. The painting has a green background to represent “the environment” that accommodates the “animals” and “human”. This is to directly recognize the presence of ONE HEALTH APPROACH in our settings. The painting is named “THE HIGH FIVES” which realistically it portrays the human hand though the name representatively stands for the two animal’s paws. The name gives a vision of victory to the community that the battle against rabies will be won by 2030 and there will be no deaths due to Rabies. • PET’S SHELTER VISIT On the efforts to spread awareness about rabies, my friends and I visited an animals shelter called “Every Living thing” that keeps dogs, cats, bunnies and chickens from individuals or the rescued ones. Our major concern was dogs and cats since they are the most susceptible to rabies, we gave ourselves a room to learn on how they manage to keep these animals healthy. Again, to recognize and enhance their efforts in keeping the animals safe from zoonotic diseases like rabies, and fortunately they provide vaccinations to these pets against rabies and other related diseases. Also, to encourage the community that vaccinating pets such as dogs and cats keeps them safe from the vulnerability of getting such diseases. But again, when these animals are safe then everyone will be safe.
Impact in numbers
During the KISARAWE RABIES CAMPAIGN Over 1000 dogs and cats were vaccinated in four days, which was a success. And, as per the ASK ME ANYTHING ABOUT RABIES CAMPAIGN, over 2000 people were reached as it was an online campaign that involved a questions and answer session through the organization’s page and mine.
Impact (description)
The incidence of bite has reduced in reference to Kisarawe area after the dog’s vaccination and education program as most people got the appropriate education on taking care of their pets, and also vaccinating them as far as rabies is concerned.
There have been better community relationships between dogs and people, since the Kisarawe campaign was not only Kisarawe based, but the campaign made other people outside Kisarawe become open minded about rabies and take necessary action against rabies and hence bringing healthy relationships between dogs and people. The African One Health University Network (AFROHUN) has been an all-time support system to the Student’s One Health Innovation Club (SOHIC) in conducting such activities related to rabies awareness.
My personal experience with rabies
The Students One Health Club (SOHIC) has been encouraging me to learn more about rabies since I started at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in 2019. (MUHAS). The KISARAWE RABIES CAMPAIGN began after I was selected as the organization's general secretary for the years 2020 to 2021. I completed the relevant courses and took part in the campaign as a Community Coordinator and Rabies Educator. By 2021–2022, I was elected as the club’s president and launched the ASK ME ABOUT RABIES CAMPAIGN in reference to the world rabies day event, which was publicized on social media.
Partners
Kisarawe Rabies Campaign was through:
- Funding by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID),
- AFROHUN Tanzania
- the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- Ifakara Health Institute (IHI)
- Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries (MoLF)
- Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MOHCDGEC)
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS)
- Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA).
ASK ME ABOUT RABIES CAMPAIGN
- The Student’s One Health Innovation Club (SOHIC) at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS).
*All information supplied by nominee. Content edited for language and formatting only*
