Liberia Receives 10,000 Anti-Rabies Vaccines to Launch Free Dog Vaccination Campaign in Montserrado County
[Monrovia, Liberia – January 14, 2026] – The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Agriculture’s Veterinary Services, has received 10,000 anti-rabies vaccines donated by Mission Rabies, a member of the International Rabies Taskforce. The vaccines will support the launch of a free pilot mass dog vaccination campaign targeting 10,000 dogs across Montserrado County and surrounding communities.
The initiative represents a significant step forward in Liberia’s efforts to eliminate rabies. This deadly but preventable disease continues to pose a serious threat to both human and animal health. Dogs remain the primary carriers of rabies in Liberia, and transmission from infected dogs is the leading cause of human rabies cases, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Rabies remains endemic in the country, where limited access to healthcare, weak cold-chain systems, and logistical challenges have constrained effective disease control. Although small-scale dog vaccination efforts have been ongoing since 2012, only about two percent of Liberia’s dog population is currently vaccinated. Public health experts recommend vaccinating at least 70 percent of dogs to interrupt transmission and effectively eliminate the disease.
In line with Liberia’s National Rabies Strategic Plan, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Veterinary Services, in partnership with the United Against Rabies Country Partnership Program and the U.S. CDC-supported WOAH Rabies Reference Laboratory, will implement a two-year pilot rabies control program in Montserrado County. The program will focus on vaccinating 10,000 dogs, establishing an Integrated Bite Case Management (IBCM) system, and improving access to human rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
This integrated approach will strengthen rabies surveillance and reporting while fostering closer collaboration between animal and human health sectors. It is expected to significantly reduce rabies transmission and provide a model for nationwide expansion.
Receiving the vaccines on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Garmie Voupawoe, Director of Animal Resources, welcomed the donation and emphasized its public health impact.
“These vaccines will be used to immunize 10,000 dogs in Monrovia as part of a pilot project with the potential to expand nationwide. We are deeply grateful for this support,” Dr. Voupawoe said.
The Government of Liberia remains committed to strengthening rabies prevention and control efforts nationwide to ensure safer, healthier communities.
