The plenary of the House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Health to thoroughly investigate the Ministry of Health over the availability of rabies vaccine in the country.
The House’s decision was triggered by a communication from Montserrado County’s district #5 Representative, Prescilla Abram Copper, in which she told plenary that the prevalence of dog bites and risk of rabies transmission pose a significant threat to public health and safety in Liberia. She said as a Representative she was concerned, and urged her colleagues to take immediate action by summoning the Minister of Health, Dr. Louise Kpoto, to address the urgent need for effective mechanisms to ensure access to rabies vaccines for all individuals in Liberia.
The Montserrado lawmaker stated in her communication that rabies is a deadly viral disease that can be transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected animal, commonly dog. Without timely access to rabies vaccines, individuals who have been bitten by rabid animal are at risk of developing the disease, which has a high fatality rate if left untreated. She said it is therefore important that the Ministry of Health takes proactive measures to ensure the availability of the rabies vaccine and promote awareness about the importance of seeking medical care following a dog’s bite.
Following the reading of the communication and debate, plenary took a decision to have its Committee on Health probe the Ministry of Health and, at the same time, during the hearings the ministry should also create a mechanism for treatment or vaccination of all dogs instead of just preventing.