By Bazio Doreen

Adjumani District Leadership is strengthening its response to rabies following the death of 10 people between January and August 2026, as health and veterinary authorities push for stronger prevention, surveillance and access to treatment.

The figures were presented during an Adjumani District Task Force meeting held on Thursday 24th September 2026 at the Office of the Resident District Commissioner.

The meeting was attended by district local government officials, Ministry of Health representatives, veterinary authorities and other key stakeholders to review the district’s animal-bite situation and agree on measures to prevent further deaths.

According to data presented at the meeting, 655 animal-bite cases were recorded in Adjumani between January and August, with children aged five to 11 years accounting for about 80 percent of the victims.

District records further show 453 reported dog-bite cases and 213 rabies cases, with 10 deaths recorded during the period.

The situation places Adjumani’s response within Uganda’s wider effort to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030. The National Rabies Elimination Strategy identifies mass vaccination of dogs, timely and affordable post-exposure prophylaxis, stronger surveillance, control of dog populations and improved laboratory systems as key interventions.

Globally, rabies causes an estimated 59,000 deaths each year, with more than 95 percent occurring in Africa and Asia. Children under 15 are among the most vulnerable because of their close interaction with dogs. Uganda’s national strategy notes that approximately 99 percent of human rabies cases originate from rabid dog bites, making vaccination of dogs a critical prevention measure.

Closing the vaccination gap.

Adjumani has an estimated 45,272 dogs, of which 31,696 have been vaccinated, representing about 70 percent coverage. Approximately 13,576 dogs remain unvaccinated.

District veterinary authorities want coverage increased to at least 80 percent, alongside stronger control of stray and free-roaming dogs.

Dr Okello, the District Veterinary Officer, reported that the district had received 3,000 doses of dog vaccine, while private providers had vaccinated approximately 900 dogs.

He said food insecurity can contribute to dogs roaming in search of food, increasing their contact with communities.

“How do you feed a dog when you don’t have enough yourself? The dogs roam to find what to eat.”
He added that rabies, once largely associated with wildlife, is increasingly a concern among domestic dogs.

Children at particular risk.

The high proportion of children among animal-bite victims was one of the major concerns raised during the meeting.

Dr Kalanda Rogers, a Ministry of Health Field Epidemiologist, said children aged five to 11 accounted for approximately 80 percent of animal-bite victims recorded during the eight-month period.

Many victims sought care at Adjumani Hospital and Elema Health Centre II, but officials noted that some bites are never reported.

Some victims delay seeking care until wounds have healed, while others underestimate the risk because the injury appears minor. Bites involving stray dogs are also less likely to be reported where there is no identifiable owner.

Beyond the bite: risks from other animals.

Dr Ijjo Didimous, Veterinary Officer for Dzaipi Sub-county, cautioned that rabies surveillance should not focus exclusively on dogs. He said infection can also affect goats, sheep and cattle, raising concern about communities consuming animals that die unexpectedly.

He urged communities to report unusual animal behaviour and unexplained animal deaths to veterinary authorities rather than consuming the meat.

The district is consequently looking to strengthen surveillance of both domestic and wild animals as part of a broader One Health response.

Task Force agrees on coordinated action.

The District Task Force agreed that closing the vaccination gap and improving early detection must be accompanied by stronger community systems. The district will therefore prioritise raising dog vaccination coverage to at least 80 percent, while strengthening reporting and tracking of animal bites through health facilities, veterinary teams and community leadership. LC1 leaders will be engaged more closely in identifying and reporting bite incidents and stray animals, while schools will become an important platform for prevention, with head teachers across Adjumani’s 213 schools targeted for sensitisation because of the high proportion of children among victims.

The meeting also prioritised improving access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and following up victims to ensure they complete their treatment. The Ministry of Health has provided 1,200 doses of anti-rabies vaccine, according to Lulu Henry Leku, Assistant District Health Officer for Maternal and Child Health. However, stakeholders noted that access remains a challenge, with private facilities charging about Shs30,000 for vaccination. Communities will also be sensitised on immediate first aid following a bite and the need to seek medical attention without delay. The district further identified inadequate information, education and communication materials and limited resources for active case searches as gaps that need to be addressed.

The resolutions are consistent with Uganda’s national rabies strategy, which calls for mass dog vaccination, community awareness, timely access to PEP, strengthened surveillance and response, dog-population control and improved laboratory systems as part of the country’s goal of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies by 2030.

A district-wide public health responsibility.

The meeting underscored that rabies prevention cannot be left to the veterinary or health departments alone. The district’s response will require coordinated action involving health workers, veterinary officers, schools, local leaders, dog owners and communities.

For Adjumani, the immediate challenge is to translate the Task Force resolutions into sustained action—particularly closing the gap of more than 13,500 unvaccinated dogs, improving reporting of bites and ensuring that victims can access PEP quickly.

With 10 people already dead between January and August 2026, the district is treating rabies not simply as an animal-health problem, but as a preventable public-health threat requiring coordinated action across the community.

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