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April 8, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Rabies Spreads in Malawi Due to Dearth of Vaccine"

PANA Wire Service (allafrica.com) (04/07/02)

Malawian government veterinary officer Thomson Lajabu said that the high cost of dog and human rabies vaccines is a contributing factor behind the spread of the disease in the country.  Rabies has ravaged the entire nation during recent months, and a shortage of vaccine is adding to the problem.  Because of the shortage, the government started charging for rabies shots at state-run hospitals two years ago.  The shots cost $6 for people and $2 per dog; however, the average resident of Malawi lives on less than $1 a day.  Adding to the problem is that local officials have halted an annual program to control stray dogs and that mandatory laws to vaccinate dogs are for the most part ignored.

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