Experts intended to Strengthening Rabies Health Service

The Ethiopian Public Health Institute has conducted a consultative workshop which encompasses experts of the field aiming at strengthening rabies health service, from June 22to 23, 2015 in Addis Ababa.

According to the organizers, the consultative workshop is conducted in collaboration with four regional states Health Bureaus and the Addis Ababa City Administration mainly to discuss on the expansion of rabies diagnostic services in the respective regional states and develop joint plan with the Ethiopian Public Health Institute.

Dr Adugna Woyessa, Director of the Bacterial, Parasitic and Zoo noses Diseases Research Directorate, in his opening remarks said that the Institute has planned to pilot the decentralize and scale up rabies diagnostic services in the selected regions and then to expand the service to regions across the nation. ”Due to lack of commitment and low perception on the disease the burden is still a major public health problem in all regions” added Dr.Adugna.

The workshop organizers also noted that, joint effort is mandatory to maximize the awareness level of the community at large to control and eliminate rabies disease.

Five parallel sessions were conducted in the workshop which was region based as Amhara region, SNNPR, Oromia region, Tigray region and the Addis Ababa City Administration. Draft joint plan was prepared and agreed to establish ad hoc committee composed of each regions.

The workshop has attracted 23 participants, from Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR,.Tigray , the Addis Ababa City Administration and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute.