Compassionate Paws International Sierra Leone (CPISL) certified 37 vaccinators and stakeholders on Wednesday, 5th June 2024, for their role in vaccinating over 4,000 dogs in Bo City, Southern Sierra Leone. The certification took place in Bo at Havanna Restuarant and Bar.
Mr. Alie Turay, the Program Coordinator of CPISL, highlighted that the vaccines were provided by Mission Rabies, headquartered in Malawi, which is dedicated to promoting animal health. “They supplied both the vaccines and the funding for the program,” he disclosed.
The Program Coordinator noted that CPI partnered with Professor Roland Suluku of Njala University, who brought in his veterinary students to assist in the vaccination efforts.
The co-founder of CPISL, Miss Sarah Morris, acknowledged the significance of addressing rabies on a national level and thanked the vaccinators for their hard work. She expressed confidence in the future of veterinary medicine in Sierra Leone and hoped for continued collaboration. She also commended the various teams’ efforts and recognized the three best teams, who vaccinated 378, 774, and 793 dogs respectively.
Miss Sarah Morris reiterated that the mandate of Compassionate Paws International Sierra Leone is to manage dog population and promote animal welfare.
Professor Roland Suluku, Lecturer at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences, praised his students for their participation in the vaccination process and commended their resilience in enduring his disciplined approach. He emphasized that his rigorous methods aim to push them beyond their limits to become better veterinary scientists, noting that each student would earn a mark for their participation.
Professor Suluku shared that his first major vaccination effort in 2010 with the Animal Health Club involved 6,000 dogs in Moyamba, Bo and Kenema headquarter towns and disclosed that this recent initiative by CPISL in Bo City marks another remarkable number of dogs vaccinated in Sierra Leone’s history. He observed that dog owners are now proactively seeking vaccinations, encouraged by the vaccinators’ efforts.
He also commended the Njala University Administration led by Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma for their support and appealed for further donor assistance to secure more vaccines for future campaigns.
