The Veterinary Services Division of the Ministry of Health used to set up a special day for an antirabies campaign exercise during which they educated people on the causes and effects of the disease and also vaccinate people, dogs and cats that have been infected by this dreadful disease.

But for three years running, this campaign has stopped and consequently many people think the disease has subsided and therefore make no efforts to protect themselves against it, waiting till they fall victims. Another area of setback is the lack of constant education by the Veterinary Services Division, which does not give most people the access to look for some of the symptoms in affected animals.

This group also waits until campaign days when they rush to seek assistance from health workers. Researchers say rabies is an infectious disease that destroys the nerve cells of part of the brain and almost always cause death. It is caused by a virus known as a "rhabdovirus" and can affect human beings and all other warm-blooded animals.

The virus can also be carried in the salivary glands for a long period of time. They claim if the carrier bites another animal or a human being or if some of its infected saliva enters an open wound, the victim may get the disease. Domestic animals like dogs and cats are the common source of infection for people.

It is said that when the rabies virus enters the body, it travels along nerves to the spinal cord and up to the brain, producing inflammation. Among the first symptoms are pain, burning or numbness at the site of the infection.

The victim then complains of headaches and is extremely restless. Muscle spasms make the throat feel full and swallowing becomes difficult. Later, the patients may have convulsions and after a day or two, a quiet period occurs which can progress to unconsciousness and finally death.

In a recent radio discussion on the issue, Dr. Osei Agyemang Bonsu and Dr. Hillary D. Lopez both Greater Accra and Central Regional Presidents of the Veterinary Doctors Association respectively, warned the public of how dreadful the disease is and the need to protect themselves from infected animals by means of having vaccination and constant education. Dr Osei said the Veterinary Services Division stopped the yearly campaign in 1998 due to financial constraints but pointed out that until that time, all expenses on the programme was free.

He however said the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has decided to charge ¢10,000 for each vaccination in the Accra Metropolis and hopes the other assemblies will also come out with their own charges.

He gave the statistics of rabies cases in Accra alone from 1994-2001, which were baffling. In 1997, 34 cases were recorded with six deaths, 1998- 61 with five deaths, 1999 - 53 with six deaths, 2000-93 cases with six deaths and 2001 (from Jan-June)-93 reported cases with 20 deaths.

He pointed out that the above figures are so alarming and gives clear indication that the disease is tremendously rising yearly and warned the public to be serious about it and take the requisite precautions to save lives.

Dr. Osei said instead of a campaign drive this year, a special seminar will be organised by the Vertinary Services Division of the Ministry of Health at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Osu where a panel of experts will discuss in detail the causes and effects of the disease.

Investigations conducted by this reporter also show that at a point in time, the campaigns were made only in the urban centres and few districts, leavings the remote areas where most farmers use dogs for hunting expeditions.

At other times, too, instead of the health workers going to the villages to check the disease, they rather invite the villages to bring their animals to the district centres which many of them find difficult considering the cost involved, and therefore boycott the idea.

In as much as the public supports the re-introduction of the campaign in the form of seminars or fora, it will also be appreciated that such educational fora are organised in all the regional and district centres to create the awareness of the alarming rate of the disease and how best the Veterinary Division could help eradicate it.