Participatory Communication and Mass Dog Vaccination for Effective Rabies Management in Mitooma District, Western Uganda: An Exploratory Study.

BACKGROUND

Canine rabies remains an endemic public health threat in Mitooma District, Uganda, where traditional, top-down public health interventions frequently fail to achieve the required 70% mass dog vaccination (MDV) coverage due to limited community engagement and one-way communication.

OBJECTIVES

This exploratory study evaluated the effectiveness of participatory communication in enhancing community engagement in MDV programs at the human-dog-wildlife interface in Mitooma District and identified the sociocultural and ecological factors influencing rabies control.

METHODS

Four gender-segregated focus group discussions were conducted across four purposively selected parishes (Kiyanga, Kaburara, Iraramira, and Kashasha) in Kiyanga sub-county, Mitooma District. Data were analyzed using thematic framework analysis.

RESULTS

Critical gaps persist regarding paralytic rabies, non-bite transmission pathways, and wildlife reservoirs, whereas inadequate interactive education drives the adoption of harmful traditional wound care. Furthermore, top-down vaccination mismatches and utilitarian canine views trigger booster noncompliance and ownership denial to evade medical and legal liabilities.

CONCLUSION

Rabies persistence in Mitooma District is fundamentally driven by a failure of bidirectional community engagement and multi-sectoral coordination. Shifting from top-down public health messaging to a One Health participatory communication framework is necessary to establish sustainable community co-ownership and break the transmission cycle.