Chief Officer Calls for Rabies to be Declared a National Disaster

Kyambi noted that although Kitui County, in collaboration with other organisations, has made significant strides in controlling rabies, the disease continues to pose a major health threat to both humans and animals. He explained that rabies are highly fatal if not treated promptly, stressing the need for nationwide intervention to complement county-level efforts.“Rabies is very expensive to manage and extremely dangerous to our residents. My appeal is to the national government to find long-term measures that can help bring a solution to this crisis. Every year, around 6,000 people in Kenya die or are affected by rabies, and this is not a small number,” Kyambi urged.

According to the Chief Officer, Kitui County has recorded notable progress in reducing rabies cases. Last year, the county registered a decline of about 50 patients compared to previous records years. This drop, he said, was achieved largely through collaborative campaigns that encouraged residents to vaccinate their dogs regularly.

Dogs remain the main carriers and transmitters of rabies to both animals and human beings, making vaccination a critical step in disease control.

Despite these achievements, Kyambi emphasised that county governments can not manage rabies control on their own, as the costs of treatment and prevention programmes are extremely high. He called on the National Government to allocate resources and policies that will enable counties to strengthen their interventions.

The Chief Officer also urged leaders in the construction sector to take responsibility by guiding developers to set up safe and sealed garbage disposal areas in new buildings. He observed that poorly managed dumping sites often attract stray dogs searching for food, creating a fertile ground for the disease to spread.

“Dogs meet in dumping sites to find food, and this makes it easier for rabies to spread from one dog to another and eventually into many homesteads across the county. Properly managed and sealed dumping sites can help control the spread of this disease,” Kyambi stated.

He further noted that rabies is a preventable and manageable disease if communities, counties, and the National Government work hand in hand. He encouraged more investment in public awareness campaigns, dog vaccination drives, and the provision of affordable treatment for patients exposed to rabies.

“Both levels of government must join hands not only to reduce rabies but also to protect farmers and ensure that their livestock are safe. The fight against rabies should be treated as a national priority,” Kyambi said.

The call comes at a time when Kitui County continues to strengthen its collaboration with health and veterinary organisations, civil society groups, and local residents. Authorities hope that with greater support from the National Government, Kenya can make more progress towards reducing rabies infections and deaths, while safeguarding livelihoods across rural and urban areas.