Tanzania’s efforts to curb rabies scare pay off after a 73 percent decline in dog-bite cases

MALINYI: THE Tanzanian government efforts to control rabies in Malinyi District, Morogoro Region, have begun yielding positive results, with cases of residents being bitten by dogs declining by 73 per cent, from 55 recorded in 2025 to 15 this year. The significant decline has been attributed to a series of interventions implemented by the Malinyi District Council in collaboration with health and veterinary experts, including free vaccination of dogs, surveillance of animals showing signs of rabies and public education on prevention and control of the disease. Malinyi District Council Vaccination Services Coordinator, Eliesti Chambua Mbwambo, said the decline was a positive indication that strengthened vaccination programmes and increased outreach were making an impact.

“It is good news that cases have declined from 55 last year to 15 this year involving residents who were bitten by dogs,” Mbwambo said. He attributed the achievement to efforts by the Sixth-Phase Government under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, particularly measures to facilitate vaccination teams with transport, including vehicles and motorcycles, enabling them to reach remote and hard-to-access areas. According to Mbwambo, improved mobility has enabled veterinary teams to take vaccination services closer to communities, thereby increasing coverage and reducing the risk of rabies transmission.

Despite the progress, the district has maintained heightened surveillance after receiving a report from residents of Saramiti Hamlet in Kiswago Village, Sofi Ward, concerning a cow that displayed signs suspected to be associated with rabies. The Head of the Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Division at Malinyi District Council, Absalom Gapson, said veterinary experts responded to the report and examined the animal, with a preliminary Rapid Test conducted as part of the assessment. “The signs of rabies in cattle are not different from those observed in other animals, including aggression towards other animals and humans, as well as excessive salivation,” Gapson said.

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