Kenya previously used to control
rabies simply by poisoning stray dogs using strychnine, a highly toxic
chemical.
The dog population is also increasing rapidly and is currently double the official estimates.
In Machakos County, a focal area in the national rabies elimination strategy, only about 40 percent of dogs have been vaccinated against rabies – far short of the 70 percent coverage recommended by the World Health Organization to interrupt transmission.
The findings, published in the current issue of the journal Preventive Veterinary Medicine, may not achieve its 2030 goal unless authorities intensify control efforts.
“The owned dog population in Machakos was estimated to be 421,087, which is nearly double the previous estimates of 259,394 used by the local government for rabies control planning,” the study notes.
This discrepancy raises concerns that outdated data has undermined the
effectiveness of Kenya’s 15-year rabies elimination plan, which was launched in
2015.
Researchers also found that rabies vaccination certificates, required by Kenyan law, were available for only 29
percent of the dogs.
“This low uptake highlights substantial gaps in the availability of veterinary services and community engagement with these animal health initiatives,” they wrote.
The study was led by researchers from the Uthiru-based International Livestock Research Institute.
Machakos is one of the top five regions in Kenya with the highest frequency of dog attacks, according to the Strategic Plan for Elimination of Rabies in Kenya 2014-2030.
Rabies, which is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, kills about 2,000 Kenyans every year, the Ministry of Health estimates.
It is entirely preventable through timely vaccination.
Kenya in 2014 became the first African country to embark on an ambitious programme to eliminate rabies by 2030. This would be achieved by vaccinating at least 70 per cent of dogs every year for three years in a row.
Kenya previously used to control rabies simply by poisoning stray dogs using strychnine, a highly toxic chemical.
The current strategy focused on initial pilot areas with a high burden of rabies, including Machakos, Kitui, Makueni, Kisumu, and Siaya counties, to demonstrate success before scaling up to the rest of the country in 2017.
Achieving this requires knowing how many dogs are in each area, a key challenge the study sought to address.
It is titled: “A hundred years of rabies in Kenya and the strategy for eliminating dog-mediated rabies by 2030.”
Using a household survey across 11 sublocations, the researchers determined the human-to-dog ratio in Machakos is about 3.3 to 1. They estimate a dog density of 126 dogs per square kilometre, far higher than previously assumed.
“This discrepancy underscores potential gaps in the existing data and emphasises the importance of revising and updating animal population databases for more effective public health interventions,” the authors said.
The researchers also found that households with female dogs tend to own significantly more dogs overall. This pattern is likely driven by breeding practices.
“Targeted female dog sterilisation campaigns could effectively reduce and stabilise the overall dog population,” they suggested, referencing a model from India that showed sterilising 70 percent of dogs could reduce the population by up to 69 percent within six to nine years.
However, widespread neutering of dogs is not only expensive but may also not be socially acceptable. “Additionally, the lack of enough qualified personnel to undertake the process safely may hamper the delivery of this service,” the study says.
The authors recommends improving access to affordable veterinary services, ramping up public education campaigns on responsible dog ownership, and focusing resources on areas with high dog densities.
“Accurate dog demographic data is important for dog-mediated disease and conditions control strategies due to its important logistical and financial implications,” they wrote.
“Although our study coincided with an active mass dog vaccination campaign, only 40 per cent of the dogs in our study households were vaccinated against rabies,” the authors warn. “This highlights the need for sustained investment and strategic planning to bridge the gap.”
