Staff Reporter
THE Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Kenneth Kennedy Shoombe, has revealed that the country has made notable strides in rabies vaccination coverage, particularly in the Northern Communal Areas, with more than 120,000 dogs vaccinated in 2025.
“We have seen a significant improvement in rabies vaccination coverage, particularly in the Northern Communal Areas. I am pleased to highlight that in 2024, the Directorate of Veterinary Services successfully vaccinated over 157,000 dogs, reaching approximately 61% of the dog population. In 2025, we vaccinated about 124,000 dogs, although slightly lower, still represents strong progress. In areas south of the veterinary cordon fence, more than 31,000 dogs were vaccinated, also achieving around 61% coverage,” Shoombe said.
He acknowledged that the country has not yet reached the 70% target, but noted that significant progress has nevertheless been made towards eliminating dog-mediated human rabies.
“It is worth noting that a measurable reduction in rabies cases among both livestock and dogs has been observed, with national positivity rates dropping below 10% in 2024. However, some regions still report rates exceeding 30%, which remains a concern, especially where human fatalities have occurred. This highlights the need to continue with ongoing efforts and to further strengthen our vaccination and awareness efforts moving forward,” Shoombe continued.
Shoombe also highlighted progress in education and outreach, noting that rabies awareness campaigns reached more than 1,200 schools in the Northern Communal Areas between 2022 and 2025, representing about 82% coverage.
“Achieving the global goal of zero human rabies deaths by 2030 requires strong collaboration across sectors. Significant progress has been evident due to collaborative efforts and good coordination. I would like to sincerely recognise and appreciate the contributions of our partners, including the Veterinary Association of Namibia, Have a Heart Namibia, Cheetah Conservation Fund, and SPCA, for their tireless efforts in supporting vaccination campaigns and dog population management across the country. Your work has significantly contributed to achieving over 60% national vaccination coverage, and we look forward to strengthening this collaboration even further in 2026,” Shoombe added.
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: Contributed
