Updates from the field: part two
Project OPM/2024/46823 Rabies and One Health: prevention and control in Guinea-Bissau
The second phase of the project took place between August 2025 and May 2026.La seconda parte del Progetto è stata svolta tra agosto 2025 e maggio 2026. The main objectives of this phase were to organise a dog vaccination campaign, continue public awareness activities and provide further training for local veterinary and health workers.
The various activities, organised during the second phase of the project and coordinated by Veterinari Senza Frontiere (VSF) Italia, in cooperation with the Cooperativa Médico-Sanitária Madrugada in Bissau, the local partner, and with the Associazione per la Collaborazione allo Sviluppo di Base della Guinea-Bissau di Verona, the Italian partner, aim to strengthen the prevention, surveillance and response to rabies, a zoonosis still endemic in many areas of Guinea-Bissau, through a multidisciplinary and integrated approach combining animal and human health.
Dog vaccination campaign: preventing the risk
A central element of the second phase of the project was the organisation and implementation of a dog vaccination campaign, initially as a pilot scheme and subsequently on a large scale.
Pilot vaccination campaign
To mark World Rabies Day on 28 September 2025, a pilot vaccination campaign was initially organised in the capital city of Bissau. The initiative took place over two consecutive days and resulted in a total of 208 dogs being vaccinated. The first day began with the official opening ceremony, attended not only by local vets, volunteers from VSF Italia and representatives of the Cooperativa Médico-Sanitária Madrugada, but also by various local politicians and officials, including the Minister of Agriculture and the Director of the General Veterinary Directorate, the local veterinary authority.
Furthermore, the vaccination campaign was broadcast on local television, enabling the campaign and the importance of rabies prevention to be publicised throughout Guinea-Bissau. Public interest and participation exceeded our expectations, and the doses allocated for the pilot vaccination campaign were quickly exhausted.
The organisation of this vaccination campaign was crucial for establishing and strengthening relationships with veterinarians and local authorities, as well as for understanding and addressing potential organisational and logistical challenges, and creating a replicable organisational model in preparation for future large-scale vaccination campaigns.
Main vaccination campaign
Following the positive results of the pilot vaccination campaign, a larger-scale vaccination campaign was carried out in January 2026, involving the administration of a total of 1,800 doses of rabies vaccine.
After comparing data with veterinarians and local authorities, analysing the incidence of rabies and other epidemiological data, as well as the socio-economic factors of the various regions of Guinea-Bissau, it was decided to organise the dog vaccination campaign in four different locations. The vaccines were distributed according to the following schedule:
- 395 doses in Bissau,
- 505 doses in Gabù,
- 500 doses in Bafatà,
- 400 doses in Cacheu.
This distribution allowed resources to be concentrated in the most affected areas, maximising the impact of awareness-raising and preventive measures.
It is important to highlight the coordination model used for the second vaccination campaign. The initiative was coordinated by VSF Italia, who provided vaccines, technical support and supervision, but was organised and implemented on the ground by local veterinarians. This approach has strengthened local technical and organisational capacities and represents a crucial step towards ensuring the future sustainability of vaccination campaigns and rabies control activities.
Awareness-raising and training
Rabies vaccination and prevention campaigns are impossible without raising public awareness and training local health and technical staff. Consequently, a significant part of the project has also focused on these two key aspects.
Raising public awareness.
With the start of the new academic year in October 2025, education and awareness-raising activities in schools resumed. Lessons were held in the Bissau area, involving over 250 children and young people aged between 7 and 17.
The lessons in schools enabled pupils, together with their teachers, to explore important aspects of rabies prevention in greater depth. During the lessons, the children and young people learnt what rabies is and how it is transmitted, how to prevent bites and what to do in the event of a bite; they also discussed the importance of vaccination for both people and animals. To facilitate communication, particularly with younger children, and to ensure the continuity of awareness-raising, the schools were provided with printed booklets in Creole.
To reach a wider audience, volunteers from VSF Italia took part in the Más Saudi programme on Radio Sol Mansi, one of the country’s most popular radio stations.
During the broadcast, key messages were shared on rabies prevention, the correct actions to take in the event of a bite, and the importance of vaccinating dogs.
Technical and healthcare training for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals
In October and November 2025, a number of technical and healthcare training sessions were held for doctors, nurses, other healthcare professionals and medical students. The sessions were led by a doctor specialising in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine and a collaborator with VSF Italia. Refresher courses were held at the Simão Mendes National Hospital, with staff responsible for post-exposure vaccinations, and at the Bor Paediatric Clinic:
- on the new World Health Organisation guidelines,
- on intradermal vaccination protocols,
- on the management of immunoglobulins, where available,
- as well as on the correct procedure to follow in the event of a bite and on the management of a patient with suspected rabies.
Finally, lectures were held at the Escola Nacional de Saúde for nursing students, who showed great interest and engagement.
Human vaccine stockpile
A stockpile of 350 doses of human rabies vaccine has also been established and allocated to the Cooperativa Médico-Sanitária Madrugada in Bissau. This reserve is intended to ensure timely access to prophylaxis, both post-exposure (PEP), in case of bites or suspected exposure to the virus, and pre-exposure (PrEP) for high-risk professional groups, such as healthcare workers, veterinarians, and personnel involved in animal handling.
Collaboration and prospects
During the second phase of the project, contacts with the General Veterinary Directorate and local veterinarians in the outskirts were further strengthened. In addition, numerous new links have been established with various organisations involved in human health, both from a clinical and an educational perspective. Strong ties and a network of contacts are essential for future joint projects between human and veterinary medicine.
A partnership for everyone’s health
Overall, despite the challenges, the project has achieved concrete and measurable results. Vaccination campaigns, public awareness-raising and the training of healthcare workers represent important steps that can contribute significantly to the control of rabies in Guinea-Bissau. However, these are merely tools; the fundamental element is collaboration between the public, veterinarians, doctors and institutions. Only by working together can we combat rabies.