The Commissioner of Lafon County in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state has ordered the killing of all stray dogs in the area.
This came after the county registered 67 cases of dog bites since June in the county. The payams affected are Liful, Marguna, and Burgilo, amid lack of treatment.
Commissioner Magisto Okwachi Agweri told Radio Tamazuj Thursday that many families transport the victims to Juba and Torit towns due to a lack of anti-rabbis drugs in the county.
“We ordered the local community to kill the stray dogs starting Monday. So there is an operation against all the dogs whether they are safe or not, they are all now being killed,” he said.
“I will meet the local chiefs anytime to instruct them to kill the other dogs in the payams; all dogs must be killed. If you are the dog’s owner and you hide your dog not to be killed, but if anything happens involving your dog, then you will face the law because you are a criminal,” he added.
Lismah Simon Wolipula, the county health officer in Lafon, confirmed that an order has been issued to kill all stray dogs in the area.
“There is no support, but some members have some capital. At least they can afford to go maybe to Torit or Juba to get treatment, and the majority could not, so that is what we are struggling with,” Lisma said.
Meanwhile, Faisal Likali Olum, a state lawmaker representing Lafon County, lamented that the lack of anti-rabies drugs makes the situation “terrible” in the county.
“Economic crisis and the town’s inaccessibility from the area has affected the victims. There is a need to involve the government and partners because the current remedy is to kill the dogs; they have no other options, and that one is not also good sometimes because dogs are necessary for security purposes,” he said.
“The best thing could have been vaccination and the sick ones to be treated. I am very concerned about the situation because the community cannot access treatment,” he added.