By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter
LAOAG CITY—Sustaining its effort to make rabies-free Ilocos Norte, the Provincial Veterinary Office in partnership with the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) continue to promote responsible ownership while enjoining all concerned stakeholders to become a certified rabies educator.
Using the internet, the Rabies Educator Certificate (REC) which can be accessed by anyone via education.rabiesalliance.orgis a self-paced learning material about rabies. Consist of five modules, this can also be downloaded and studied offline for those with slow or intermittent internet access.
The modular course features the following: What is rabies and how do people and animals get the disease; how to avoid dog bites and prevent rabies; caring for animals; understanding the role of a community educator in preventing dog bites and rabies; and communicating with people.
Dr. Loida Valenzuela, Provincial Veterinarian of Ilocos Norte said that after passing the final online assessment, participants will receive a certificate of achievement, enabling them to provide lifesaving information to the target communities.
In Ilocos Norte, Ms. Valenzuela said that several day-care and elementary school teachers of the state-run Mariano Marcos State University have enrolled in the rabies education program.
“We encourage our constituents to help Ilocos Norte maintain its status as a rabies-free zone. Let us ensure that our dogs/animals are vaccinated and well taken cared of,” she added.
Since 2013, Ilocos Norte have remained rabies-free.