Evaluators recently noted the potential of the Bohol experience in rabies eradication for replication to other provinces and even areas outside the country. International observers' impression that zero rabies is impossible in Bohol changed after evaluators from UBS Optimus Foundation and the Alliance of Rabies Control came to see for themselves, the transition of a province once topping the country's statistics on rabies cases into a zero-free zone, so far. And, the plunge came so sudden in just two and a half years since the provincial government launched the Bohol Rabies Eradication and Prevention Program in 2007.

This early, the accomplishment of having vaccinated 71.6 percent of all dogs surveyed even surpasses the 70-percent target that is due in 2010 yet. Dr. Susanna Hausmann-Muela, director of the Global Health Research department of UBS Optimus Foundation based in Zürich, and Alliance of Rabies Council coordinator, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Miranda, lauded the Bohol Rabies Project for the strategies that resulted to the big drop of dog population and the increase of awareness on responsible pet ownership among schoolchildren in Bohol communities. On this, they made a commitment to support the project further to the sustainability phase, citing “good leadership” of Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz, provincial veterinarian.

The BREP is a recipient of a P7-million assistance from UBS Optimus Foundation, through the ARC. The first tranche in July last year had gone far enough, covering the vaccination phase and related activities, Miranda noted. “Founded by UBS, the UBS Optimus Foundation is a grant foundation that gives clients the opportunity to become involved in a wide variety of humanitarian projects”…focusing on two grant areas: ‘Education and Child Protection' and ‘Global Health Research', according to the website, www.ubs.com . Miranda noted that the Bohol Rabies Project has been geared towards public health that involves different angles of the community like road safety, education, elimination of stray dogs, responsible pet ownership, policy-making based on good governance, among others- -pointing right to the source of rabies, which is animals, in this campaign, the dogs.

“With the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian in the forefront, the campaign treads on the right track,” according to Dr. Miranda. Hausmann and Miranda made rounds in public schools on November 9 to evaluate how the rabies prevention program has been integrated in the elementary school curriculum. The observed two classes in Tagbilaran City Central Elementary School and one in Loboc Central Elementary School . It was, actually, Dr. Miranda's first day in the itinerary, replacing ARC Director Deborah Briggs, who had to attend a meeting in Manila then. In other days when they were here on November 7-11, they had an interaction with the Bantay Rabies sa Barangay and BALA of Maribojoc, local officials of Mariveles and Totolan in Dauis, and barangay Magtangtang in Danao to observe how the program is implemented in the barangays. They also visited Congressman Simeon Toribio Memorial Hospital in Carmen to observe the operation of an animal bite center, which was then temporarily reduced to a desk at the out-patient department, while it is still under renovation. They also observed the operation of the Municipal Rabies Eradication and Prevention Council in Inabanga.

Dr. Hausmann also noted that the integrated approach in implementing the program “has impressively brought people from different sectors together to focus on a common goal of eradicating rabies”. Miranda added that the program had “reached most communities, especially by way of barangay assemblies and face-to-face interaction with program staff”. Miranda also said the integration of rabies module in the elementary school curriculum “can contribute significantly to program sustainability”. On this, Dr. Lapiz, said OPV and DepEd will double-time on training more teachers to ensure accuracy of the facts on rabies and the campaign on responsible pet ownership.

The DepED district supervisors had also announced that 700 of the teachers in Bohol were already furnished copies of the manual. So far, of the about 49 dog heads submitted for laboratory test this year, none had been found positive of rabies. Dr. Lapiz, said the province can claim of herd immunity if this situation will be sustained in two more consecutive years. She also noted that responsible pet ownership has dramatically improved among households. At least 82.28 percent of Boholanos has knowledge of the Local Rabies Eradication Program and 85 percent of the households are aware of the ordinances passed in consonance with the Anti-Rabies Law of 2007.

This is based on a recent community survey on the progress of the Bohol Rabies Elimination Program conducted by OPV in collaboration with the University of Texas School of Public Health and ARC. The survey also shows that 71.6 percent of all dogs surveyed have been vaccinated and that 77.5 percent of households serve as homes of pet dogs. Of the dog population in Bohol , 66.5 percent are male, 33.5 percent are female, and 34.5 percent of the male dogs had been castrated. The survey results indicate the improvement in the attitude of households towards the rabies eradication campaign which is anchored on responsible pet ownership, according to Dr. Lapiz. Miranda, however, observed that some barangays lag behind the general accomplishment and pace of the rabies program which she attributed to community leadership.

“There were definitely some clusters that needed immediate attention/intervention, but the benefit of rapid community surveys resulted to prompt action on. The lagging communities were reached then the vaccination coverage was greatly improved as a result,” Miranda explained in her presentation of the survey result. Moreover, she said “the school-based program will continue to aid in this and contribute significantly to program sustainability. “Children will go home and repeat to their parents the lessons they learn. Many kids often tell the parents what the family should be doing. Many kids still listen closely to their teachers. Many kids are still interested in being an effective part of the community. The program is working very well. It needs to be reinforced and continue,” Miranda emphasized. (Angeline Valencia/PGMA)