Ahead of next year’s population and housing census to determine the number of people living in the country, cat and dog census has already been started by the Ghana Health Service under the auspices of the Ministry of Health.

The dog and cat census would also be used as a platform to immunize these pets with anti-rabies vaccines following the outbreak of the virus in the upper East Region.

Speaking at a press briefing in Takoradi on integrated maternal and child health campaign (IMCH), the Western Regional Deputy Director of the Ghana Health Service in charge of public health, Dr Kwaku Anin Karikari indicated that, the dog and cat census would also enable the service to factor the cost of immunizing theses pets into its future budgets.

The exercise, which started on November 12, 2009 in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolis, would also immunize children under five years and lactating women with polio vaccines against poliomyelitis.

Dr. Karikari observed that, the rabies outbreak in the Upper East Region has reached an epidemic level and urged people that have pets to get them vaccinated to curb the spread of the virus.

He disclosed that there are reported cases of rabies in the region, but not to an epidemic level.

He advised people that have pets at home to chain them in order to prevent them from biting, stressing that pets that are infected with rabies virus could kill their victim.

Dr. Karikari said the integrated maternal and child health campaign would also de-worm children from two to four years as well as administering vitamin A supplementation for breastfeeding mothers and children from six months to five years.

He said, as part of fulfilling the millennium development goals, Ghana is expected to reduce child mortality rate from 56 to 40 per 1000 live births by 2015.

Dr Karikari noted that at least 80 children under five years are expected to be immunized in a day. The immunization volunteers, he said, would move from house-to-house to administer the polio vaccines.

The vaccines would also be administered at health facilities and outreach sites so that every targeted group would be covered.

Dr Karikari said sometimes some expatriates refused their children to be vaccinated by the immunization volunteers due to cultural and religious beliefs.

The theme for this year’s national integrated maternal and child health is “Healthier Mothers and Children Make a better Ghana”.