Rabies and TADs Project Review and Planning Meeting Conducted in Namibia

Rabies and TADs Project Review and Planning Meeting. Photo (c) T. Tenzin (omsa) 2026.

Dr. T. Tenzin, WOAH Project Lead. Picture (c) T. Tenzin (woah) 2026.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of the Republic of Germany, through the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), funds the Project “One Health Approach Towards Control of Rabies and Transboundary Animal Diseases (OHRT)” to support the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) in implementing Namibia’s national programme for the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies in the Northern Communal Area (NCA). The NCA comprises eight regions and 75 constituencies north of the southern veterinary cordon fence (SVCF), home to approximately 1.6 million people and over 271,000 dogs. Dog-mediated rabies is endemic in this area, and the project aims to eliminate human rabies deaths caused by dogs by 2030.

Initially piloted in Oshana Region in 2016, the project was rolled out across the entire NCA in 2017. Over nearly 10 years, it has achieved remarkable progress: rabies incidence in dogs has declined, and human rabies deaths have dropped from nearly 23 deaths in 2015 (prior to Project implementation) to only two deaths in 2025. Rabies awareness and education have also significantly improved among communities. This success is attributed to the DVS’s commitment on dog rabies vaccination campaign conducted annually as a targeted campaign and at the cattle crush pens along with other livestock disease vaccination campaign, particularly Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and Lumpy skin disease (LSD).

WOAH and DVS organised an annual meeting on 15 and 16 April 2026 in Ongandwa, Namibia, to review project activities and prepare an action plan for 2026 and beyond. The meeting was attended by 74 participants, including representatives from the Directorate of Veterinary Services (42), Ministry of Health and Social Services (10), Department of Education (8), local authorities and town councils (8), WOAH (2), the Institute of Veterinary Services of Angola (2), the Cheetah Conservation Program (1), and SPCA (1). Other partners such as Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut ( FLI ), Have a Heart and the Veterinary Association of Namibia either presented online or through recorded presentations.

Key highlights of the meeting were:

In 2025, dog rabies vaccination campaigns were conducted in all eight NCA regions, vaccinating 125,000 dogs and 13,000 cats. Dog vaccination coverage reached around 48%, representing a 13% decrease compared to 61% coverage in 2024, mainly due to delay in recruitment of casual workers to supplement the permanent veterinary staffs to form a larger vaccination team.
Human rabies deaths decreased from 23 in 2015 to two in 2025, compared to five deaths in 2024—a significant achievement and the most notable impact of the project. This is attributed in increasing dog rabies vaccination coverage over the years.
Rabies awareness education was conducted in schools and communities across the NCA.
Rabies surveillance in animals improved, with a noted decline in rabies incidence in dogs. However, underreporting remains a challenge, and more sampling and laboratory testing are needed to strengthen surveillance.
FLI updated the meeting on Oral Rabies Vaccination and workplan for 2026
NGOs and partner organizations such as Have a Heart, the Veterinary Association of Namibia, and SPCA showcased their rabies and dog population management activities. Their contributions were acknowledged and appreciated.
Representatives from the Institute of Veterinary Services in Angola reported on their 2025 mass dog vaccination campaign across all 18 provinces, vaccinating 348,000 dogs with an average coverage of 54%. However, the underlying dog population data needed to estimate coverage remains largely unknown.
Town councils are implementing laws to regulate pet ownership, while the education sector is committed to teaching schoolchildren about dog bites and rabies.
Regarding transboundary animal diseases (TADs), DVS has been conducting surveillance and surveys against Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in the NCA protection zone, with all tests so far returning negative results.

Rabies and TADs Project Review and Planning Meeting. Photo (c) T. Tenzin (omsa) 2026.

Dr Magrecia Hausiku, representing the WOAH Delegate of Namibia. Picture (c) T. Tenzin (woah) 2026.

The meeting adopted the 2026 work plan, focusing on mass dog vaccination campaigns to increase coverage and stop rabies transmission, Oral Rabies Vaccination of dogs to complement the parenteral vaccination, enhanced surveillance, awareness education, community engagement, and capacity building in both veterinary and human health sectors. DVS management reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining rabies elimination activities and assured participants that resources and capacity are in place to continue rabies control efforts beyond the project period, when the current project completes in December 2026.

Acknowledgements