CCEI Managing Director Gilbert Banda has told Zodiak on the sidelines of Mzimba north district Agriculture fair in Mzuzu on Wednesday that the organisation has already vaccinated 10,000 dogs in the area and this is aimed at preventing the lives of people and pets from rabies.

"We have partnered with Mzimba North district Agriculture office to promote anti-rabies vaccine so that we save lives and our target is by December this year we should reach out to a minimum of 70 percent of dogs,” said Banda.

Statistics from Mzuzu ADD show that Mzimba North has a population of 43,987 dogs while Rumphi has 16,115 dogs.

Banda added that resources permitting them they will also reach out to other neighboring districts like Mzimba South and Karonga where dogs have also caused some deaths.

Said Banda: "We want to ensure that we reach places that are very far with these services. We want to save the lives of people and pets right there in rural areas of this country.”

Mzuzu ADD Programme Manager Anderson Chikomola says despite that the targeted areas have not registered any cases of dog bites and rabies the move by the Center for Community Empowerment Initiative will prevent more communities once the disease hits Mzimba North.

"These are preventive measures that we support as a division. We will ensure that we work together so that together we reach their target,” explained Chikomola.

This comes following reports that this July alone three people have died of rabies in Karonga, and 230 cases have been recorded this 2023.

This was disclosed on the sidelines of the Mzimba North district Agriculture fair in Mzuzu where various agro-value chain players have exhibited what they do in their organisations.

This 7th Mzimba north district Agriculture Fair has also provided a market for farmers’ produce and also suppliers of farm inputs to residents of Mzuzu.