article · Tanzania Medical Journal
Rabies causes over 59,000 human deaths annually worldwide, with domestic dog bites accounting for approximately 99% of transmissions. In Kisarawe District, Tanzania, a recognised rabies hotspot bordering Nyerere National Park, vaccination coverage among dogs remains low despite ongoing campaigns. This qualitative study examined the barriers to sustaining effective dog vaccination initiatives through 33 in-depth interviews with dog owners, cat owners, livestock officers, and clinicians. Six key themes emerged, highlighting significant obstacles on both the community and operational levels. Community hurdles include low turnout during campaigns, inadequate knowledge regarding vaccine protection, and misconceptions that vaccines harm pets. Operationally, livestock officers face acute shortages of field staff, basic equipment, and anti-rabies vaccines. Addressing these persistent challenges requires frequent community education, regular scheduled delivery of free vaccines, and reliable distribution of veterinary supplies.
Rabies is a preventable zoonotic disease that places a severe economic and public health burden on African communities. Because most human cases stem from dog bites, understanding the practical and social barriers to animal vaccination is vital. Identifying community misconceptions and logistical bottlenecks helps public health authorities design better programmes to eliminate dog-mediated rabies transmissions and protect vulnerable populations living near wildlife hotspots.
The findings provide actionable intelligence for veterinary logistics coordinators, vaccine manufacturers, and non-governmental health organisations seeking to improve vaccine distribution chains and public health delivery models. While the research itself is an applied observational study rather than a commercial product, the identified supply shortages point to potential demand for reliable veterinary cold-chain tools and low-cost delivery systems in rural markets.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Background Rabies is caused by a neurotropic virus of the genus Lyssavirus of the family Rhabdoviridae, that affects all mammals. About 99% of the transmission of the virus to humans are due to bites from domestic dogs. Rabies is a neglected tropical disease that causes more than 59,000 human deaths each year in the world, particularly in Asia and Africa. It causes a loss of 3.7 million Disability Adjusted Years per year and about 8.6 billion USD of economic losses. Over 80% of susceptible dog populations remain unvaccinated in Africa, and as a result, rabies remains endemic in the continent. Dog vaccination, provision of post-exposure prophylaxis to people bitten by dogs and awareness are the major interventions to prevent and control rabies. Kisarawe district in Tanzania is considered to be among the hotspots for rabies as it borders the Nyerere National Park. Despite this fact, rabies vaccination coverage of dogs in Kisarawe remains low. Objective To explore barriers to sustaining dog vaccination campaigns against rabies in Kisarawe district, Tanzania. Methods This was an exploratory qualitative research design which was conducted in Kisarawe District, Pwani Region in Tanzania. A total of thirty-three in-depth interviews were administered to dog owners, cat owners, livestock officers and clinicians. Data were summarized and analyzed using a thematic approach, systematic coding and with the aid of NVivo v14 software for qualitative analysis. Results Six themes emerged that reflect perceptions of respondents: “Awareness on rabies disease”; “Prevention of rabies including post-exposure prophylaxis of a person bitten by rabid dog”; “Reasons for dog owners not to bring dogs for vaccination during the campaigns and Low turn up among dog/cat owners to vaccinate their dogs”, “inadequate knowledge among dog and cat owners on rabies protection by the vaccine”; “misconception that vaccine can do harm to dogs and cats; and “challenges facing livestock officers to vaccinate dogs”. Specific barriers include shortage of field staff, equipment and anti-rabies vaccines. In addition, low turn up among dog/cat owners to vaccinate their dogs during campaigns was a big barrier. Conclusion The study findings have revealed barriers to achieving high coverage of dog vaccination despite presence of vaccination campaigns in Kisarawe district. Education and awareness on dog and cat owners on vaccination against rabies should be conducted frequently while implementing a scheduled provision of free rabies vaccine. Vaccines, supplies, and related equipment should be always available and distributed for increased vaccination coverage.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.4314/4fz18x24
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
