CPI joins with Mission Rabies to Vaccinate 4900 dogs

In May 2024, CPI teamed up with Mission Rabies, One Heath partners and Njala University in a mass rabies vaccination project in Sierra Leone's second largest city, Bo.

Rabies is a deadly zoonotic disease, transmitted largely through dog bites, that affects humans and animals. Rabies is endemic in Sierra Leone and CPI staff have seen several suspected rabies cases during their projects in the past.

There is no veterinary school in Sierra Leone, but there is a new paravet (veterinary assistant) training course, and so paravet students from Njala University were recruited to be part of a 40-person strong team to carry out the feat of delivering rabies vaccinations to thousands of dogs.

Over 9 days:

• 4936 dogs were vaccinated

• The average coverage rate was recorded to be 83.45% - meeting the 70% threshold for herd immunity

• 1849 people received information on rabies from community mobilisers - 1079 adults and 779 children

• 2707 school students received a rabies lesson via school assemblies or class lessons

There were three main approaches to the project:

1. Community mobilisation & education

2. Vaccination drive

3. Data collection and monitoring

The details of every vaccinated dog were recorded and geo-marked on a map using GPS software. Survey teams then conducted post-vaccination surveys 1-3 days after each area was covered in randomly selected areas to assess if the coverage of dogs had reached the required 70% for herd immunity.

Above: GPS points of dogs vaccinated against rabies over the city of Bo, Sierra Leone.

Click here to read our full report of the project.

We would like to thank Mission Rabies for funding the project and for their huge input of time and expertise, and Njala University, MAF, One Health partners and Bo City Council for their expertise and coordination which led to such a successful project.