Uganda has intensified its call for pet owners to vaccinate dogs and cats as the country prepares to commemorate World Rabies Day 2026, with the government reporting 190 human deaths linked to suspected bite cases between 2022 and 2025.

Minister of State for Animal Husbandry Bright Rwamirama made the call on Wednesday, while briefing the country at the Uganda Media Centre ahead of this year’s World Rabies Day activities.

Uganda will hold its national commemoration on Saturday, September 26, at Kasana-Kosovo in Luwero District, ahead of the global World Rabies Day.

The 2026 theme, “Stronger Together,” highlights the need for coordinated action among animal-health, human-health and environmental authorities, as well as local governments, communities, schools, development partners and pet owners.

According to Rwamirama, Uganda recorded 67,393 suspected human bite cases and 190 deaths between 2022 and 2025.

He said the figures demonstrate the continued need for stronger rabies surveillance, reporting, prevention and public awareness.

“Rabies is preventable, but once symptoms appear, it is almost invariably fatal,” Rwamirama said in a message urging Ugandans to vaccinate their dogs and cats, prevent them from roaming and promptly report suspected rabies cases and animal bites.

Government data cited by Rwamirama also showed that 36 animal samples tested positive for rabies between 2021 and 2025.

The figures underline the importance of controlling rabies at its source, particularly through vaccination of dogs, which are the main source of human rabies infections.

Uganda’s National Rabies Elimination Strategy identifies mass dog vaccination, public education, improved surveillance, laboratory capacity and timely access to post-exposure treatment as key interventions in the country’s efforts to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030.

Rwamirama said Uganda is pursuing a One Health approach to rabies control, bringing together animal health, human health and environmental services.

The approach includes mass vaccination of dogs and cats, public awareness campaigns, laboratory diagnosis and coordinated surveillance.

The strategy also calls for improved access to post-exposure prophylaxis for people exposed to suspected rabid animals and stronger systems for detecting and responding to rabies cases.

The World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health similarly emphasize coordinated action across human, animal and environmental health sectors in efforts to eliminate rabies. The global target is to end dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030.

Rwamirama urged people who are bitten or scratched by an animal to act immediately.

The affected wound should be washed thoroughly with soap and running water for 10–15 minutes, followed by immediate medical attention.

People should also report suspected rabies cases and animal bites promptly so that health and veterinary authorities can assess the risk and take appropriate action.

Rabies is preventable through vaccination and timely post-exposure care, but once clinical symptoms develop, the disease is almost invariably fatal.

Luwero District will host Uganda’s national World Rabies Day activities, including free vaccination, school outreach, media sensitisation and community engagement.

Rwamirama called on Ugandans to practise responsible pet ownership, vaccinate their animals, prevent dogs from roaming freely and report suspicious animals.

World Rabies Day is observed annually in memory of Louis Pasteur, whose work contributed to the development of the first rabies vaccine.

Globally, the 2026 campaign is being held under the theme “Stronger Together.” WHO says the theme emphasizes the importance of vaccination, surveillance, public awareness and cooperation among communities, veterinary professionals, healthcare workers and governments.

Uganda’s National Rabies Elimination Strategy is aligned with the global goal of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies by 2030. The strategy places mass dog vaccination at the centre of efforts to stop transmission at its source.

Rwamirama said coordinated action by government, communities and animal owners will be critical to preventing rabies infections and protecting both lives and livelihoods.