Abu Macavoray

By Roland Suluku, Emikpe Benjamin Obukowho, Abu Macavoray and Moinina Nelphson Kallon

The objective of this write-up is to find possible solution control canine rabies virus in Sierra Leone and other low-income countries in the world. Rabies is a viral disease affecting both humans and animals in Sierra Leone. The country has no policy on dog ownership and management, two veterinarians, limited access to rabies vaccines and human immunoglobin, and a lack of information about the disease in the country despite increasing dog bite cases and death. There is no wildlife specialist to initiate wildlife vaccination. Continuous vaccination increased awareness, trained personnel in veterinary and wildlife, development of policies on responsible dog ownership and by-laws and increase financial support from the government and private sector will help Sierra Leone eliminate rabies in the first half of the twenty-first century.

Part of the book: Rabies Virus at the Beginning of 21st Century

By Roland Suluku, Abu Macavoray, Moinina Nelphenson Kallon and Joseph A. Buntin-Graden

Sierra Leoneans face multiple barriers to accessing health facilities and services in rural communities leading to morbidity and mortality. The objective of this paper is to identify some of these challenges and proffer possible solutions to mitigate morbidity and mortality in rural communities and prolong the lives of their citizenry. The lack of money, the use of cheaper traditional medicines versus expensive medicines at health centers, lack of confidence in health workers, and transportation access to reach health facilities are barriers to accessing health facilities and services by rural community people. The above barriers outline was obtained through thirty years of interaction, discussion, and observations with people and health workers in rural communities. Possible solutions include the provision of free health care, ambulances to ease transportation, the integration of traditional medicine into the national health system, and the encouragement of rural community people to engage in multiple cropping every year. The above solutions and many others will encourage the citizenry in rural communities to attend health facilities and services in the country’s rural towns and villages.

Part of the book: Rural Health