Rabies education and awareness takes advantage of the new normal.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the new normal. In the Philippines, face-to-face school classes have been shifted to home schooling using online and printed modules, and community gatherings have been also discouraged. Even with these changes, we have continued our work to educate the communities about rabies, raising awareness and ensuring that people remain vigilant throughout Muntinlupa City.  

Every opportunity to raise rabies awareness is important as it can help to save a life.  A mother and her son read the poster that teaches them about the signs of rabies as they wait in long socially distanced queues for their turn to buy something at the small convenience store. Small convenience stores are ubiquitous in the neighborhood, and usually draw customers as they sell a variety of products ranging from snacks, condiments, and even toiletries in smaller packages. By thinking a little “outside the box” our dedicated team in the Philippines has been using these small opportunities to ensure that our work can reach thousands more people. 

The Signs of Rabies poster is one of the five posters developed as part of the Community Based Rabies Surveillance (CBRS) Project to raise awareness on rabies prevention and bite management. Our team also developed posters to educate people about animal bite management, bite prevention, dog and cat vaccination, and biting animal management – all key issues and messages for rabies control and elimination. The City Health Office (CHO) and the Office of the City Veterinarian (OCV) placed the posters in different areas throughout all nine barangays (villages) in the city. The posters were strategically located on areas where more people would see, such as health centers, barangay halls, covered basketball courts, and public markets.

According to Dr. Mariza Pelisco, City Rabies Program Coordinator of CHO, “The posters are very important in spreading awareness on rabies. Since the people can see the posters in different places that they go to or pass-by, they will be regularly reminded about rabies information. With the clear, concise messages, people can be educated while walking by, without the need to stop”.

“The posters are very important in spreading awareness on rabies. With the clear, concise messages, people can be educated while walking by, without the need to stop”. - Dr. Mariza Pelisco, City Rabies Program Coordinator of CHO

You can also contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) by accessing all our free education and awareness materials for children here. Furthermore, you can become a certified rabies educator by graduating our REC course.

Article contributed by Eunice Mendoza (GARC, Philippines)