The official launch of the national rabies vaccination campaign in Togo took place in the locality of Mandouri in the northern Savanna – region of Togo, West Africa. The launch was a response to the worrisome increase of human rabies cases in recent weeks. According to the WHO, Togo is the African country most affected by rabies in absolute number of cases (and second most affected in relative terms, cases per 100,000). The Director of Livestock and Fisheries, Dr. Komla Daniel Batawui, in his capacity as OIE Delegate for Togo, had sought the support of the OIE and its Director-General, Dr. Bernard Vallat rapidly decided to donate and dispatch 10,000 doses of rabies vaccine to Lomé, the capital. Many of the members of Government present at the launch in Mandouri recognised the support of the OIE (rabies vaccine bank) and thanked the Director General for his unwavering support.
Overview of dignitaries present at the launch of the rabies vaccination campaign. Picture : DEP (2014)
