HUMAN AND ANIMAL HEALTH COLLABORATION
IN RABIES CONTROL IN THE PHILIPINES
RAFFY A. DERAY, MD, MPH
National Program Manager
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
Department of Health, Philippines
2nd International Conference on Dog Population Management Conference
Istanbul, Turkey
3-5 March 2015
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
(NRPCP)
- A program implemented by a multi- agency /multi-sectoral National Rabies
Committee chaired by the Department of Agriculture and Vice- chaired by
the Department of Health
- Members of the National Rabies Committee (NRC) :
Department of Agriculture (DA)- Chair
Department of Health (DOH)- Vice Chair
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
Department of Education (DepEd) Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR),
Local Government Units (LGUs)
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and
People’s Organizations (POs).”
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
Goal:
To eliminate human rabies in the
Philippines & declare a rabies-free
Philippines by year 2020
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
Background
• The Collaborative effort between the Departments of Health and
Agriculture to control and Eliminate rabies started in the late
1980s.
• Formalized in 1991 with the Signing of the Memorandum of
Agreement among the Secretaries of Health, Agriculture,
Education and Interior and Local Government
• Republic Act 9482 or the Anti- Rabies Act of 2007 provided for
legal mandate for the creation of a multi – agency/multi-sectora/
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program (NRPCP)
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
Scope of Collaboration:
I. National level
– Limited
• Crafting of national law and administrative Issuances
• Celebration of March Rabies Awareness Month and World Rabies
Day
– Department of Health-
• Provision of PEP
– Department Agriculture-
• Dog vaccination against rabies
• Vaccine is very limited
– Minimal collaborative effort to eliminate rabies in all levels
Other levels: Regional, Provincial, City and Muni cipal
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
DOH-WHO-BMGF Supported Rabies Elimination
Project
Goal of the Project:
Primary:
To prevent human rabies through the control and eventual elimination of canine
rabies, creating a paradigm shift for human rabies prevention in Africa and Asia .
Secondary:
To develop model/s on community/village approach Rabies Elimination
Strategy that can be replicated in other provinces, cities municipalities in the
Philippines
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
GEOGRAPHIC AREAS
SERVED
Visayas Islands:
1.Western Visayas (Region VI)
2.Central Visayas (Region VII)
3.Eastern Visayas (Region VIII)
- 15 provinces ,39 cities, 37
municipalities and 12,069
Barangays(villages)
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
Approach to Rabies elimination
I. Multi- Agency and Multi Sectoral
- At least 4 National Government Agencies
- International and local partners
II. Collaborative
- Sharing of resources
- Sharing of responsibilities
- Avoid duplication of work
III. Consultative
– All level: National, regional and local- All stakeholders
– Annual program review and planning workshop
– National Rabies Committee, regional and local rabies technical working
groups
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
Partners
1. Department of Agriculture
2. Departments of Interior and Local Government
3. Department of Education
4. Local Government Units and the Philippine National Police
5. International Partners
a. World Health Organization
b. BM Gates Foundation
c. WSPA
d. University of Glasgow- Medical Research Council
6. Philippine Information Agency and Media Practitioners
7. Local NGOs/POs
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
International Implementing Structure
Partners and Departments of Health and Agriculture
Other NGAs CentralNational
office Rabies Committee
Regional Health and Agriculture Office
Regional Technical Working Group
Provincial
Chartered/ or Independent City
Government Government
Provincial Technical Working Group
Component City or Municipal
Government
Barangay(Village)
Bantay Rabies Sa Barangay
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
INITIAL RESULTS
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
DOG VACCINATION
- Dog vaccination coverage increased by as much as 450%
in 2011 from 266,620 in 2009 to 1,101,955
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
ANIMAL RABIES
FAT Confirmed Animal Rabies, 2009- 2014
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
HUMAN RABIES
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
RABIES FREE ZONES
- 9 islands from the Visayas islands have been declared jointly by DA and DOH
as Rabies Free Zone
Region 6:
1. Guimaras
2. Boracay
Region 8:
Region 7: 1. Biliran
1. Siquijor 2. Limasawa
2. Apo Island
3. Camotes
4. Malapascua
Island
5. Olympia
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
Strengthen collaboration with the Department
of Agriculture
January 2015:
Health Secretary Ona presided a meeting with DA
officials in DOH:
- How to achieve a nationwide dog vaccination
coverage of 70%
- DOH to Augment DA’s supply of anti rabies vaccine-
2015: DOH transferred PhP69.5 million (US$1.6
million) to DA for procurement of dog vaccines
- Collaboration to be formalized with the signing of a
Memorandum of Agreement between the Agencies
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
Health Secretary Ona and Agriculture Secretary Alcala signing
the Memorandum of Agreement for Rabies Control
Office of the Secretary Department of Health,
May 5, 2015
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
PARTING WORDS:
In a country where resources to eliminate rabies are limited,
much can be achieved if all stakeholders, including
international partners and Non- Governmental Organizations
(NGOs) coordinate with each other to avoid duplication of
work. Gaps can be addressed by sharing of resources and
benefits can be maximized if the burden of the disease is
considered in the selection of project sites. Lastly,
Collaboration should always start from the planning and if
possible, conception of any rabies elimination campaign.
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
Region 6: LGUs at work
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
Region 7 LGUs at work
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
Region 8 LGUs at work
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
TWGs and Rabies Committees at work
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
World Rabies Day
• Declaration of Rabies-free Zones
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program
