By Sileshi Yilma & Shemsedin Mohammed

Haramaya University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) held awareness creation and consultative workshop on animals’ welfare on June 28, 2014 at the Resource Center of the University. Top scoring students of the College were also awarded.

The workshop, which marked the 252th World Rabies Day, mainly focused on animals’ welfare. This year’s theme targeted on the role of community’s participation which has a significant role in preventing diseases such as rabies.
In his opening speech, Dr. Yitagel Terefe, program coordinator and acting dean of CVM, said that various trainings and awareness creation sessions have been offered for community representatives from Harari and Oromia regional states and Dire Dawa City Administration. This year, a major focus was given by the College to tackle communicable diseases such as rabies, which can transmit from animals to human beings, he added.

“In the past two years we were able to vaccinate 1,800 dogs and cats which are agents this communicable diseases by extending our services to places like Bate, Alemaya, Harar, and Dire Dawa with the help that we received from within the University and from partners such as World Health Organization,” Dr. Yitagel explained.
It was disclosed during the workshop that the College has a future plan to extend the awareness creation sessions and vaccination campaigns in nearby places like Kersa and Babile, which have requested such services to reach them.

Two staff members of CVM delivered presentations concerning rabies and possible ways of prevention of the disease. A question and answer program among secondary school students was also part of the 252th World Rabies Day. Winners of the event were awarded.

Brochures, prepared in Amharic and Afan Oromo languages, were also distributed to the participants. The College believes that the participants in turn can share their experiences using the brochures to their community members that the University may find difficult to reach due to logistical problems.

The workshop was concluded by awarding top scoring students of the College (from year 1 to 6). CVM staff and students as well as invited guests from Haramaya, Harar, Awoday, and other places took part in the one day workshop.