Mission Rabies Targets 70 Percent Dog Vaccination Coverage in Fight Against Rabies

By Mayamiko Phiri

Mission Rabies and its partners have launched a fresh free mass dog vaccination campaign in Blantyre City aimed at eliminating the spread of rabies.

The campaign is set to begin on May 9, 2026, with organisers targeting at least 70 percent dog vaccination coverage to break the transmission cycle of the deadly disease.

Mission Rabies Country Director Inga McDermott said the initiative focuses on vaccinating dogs, which are the primary carriers and transmitters of rabies to humans.

“To prevent human deaths, the disease needs to be eliminated by targeting the key source of transmission, which are dogs,” said McDermott.

She added that vaccination points will be set up at strategic locations across Blantyre to make it easier for dog owners to access the free service.

Through systematic dog vaccinations over five weekends, Mission Rabies aims to stop the spread of rabies in the city and protect residents from the threat posed by the disease.

The exercise is being implemented in partnership with the Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development as part of a wider programme covering 22 districts across Malawi.

The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to eliminate rabies, one of the world’s deadliest yet preventable diseases.