Govt Set To Launch Nationwide Dog Vaccination Programme

The government is launching a nationwide dog vaccination programme in the next few weeks to combat the rising cases of rabies in Zimbabwe. The programme will cover major provinces, hotspots, and areas bordering national parks where jackals are prevalent. Approximately 650,000 vaccine doses have been secured from Botswana, exceeding the annual requirement of 500,000 doses .

The vaccination programme aims to protect both humans and animals from the deadly disease. Rabies is a significant public health threat in Zimbabwe, with most human cases caused by domestic dogs. The government has received support from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), including 100,000 vaccine doses in August 2025 .