Strengthening Rabies Prevention and Control Coordination in Maramag Municipality, Philippines

Abstract
Eliminating rabies by 2030 is a crucial goal under the third United Nations Sustainable Development Goal for health and well-being. In the Philippines, rabies remains a public health problem, particularly in semi-rural municipalities like Maramag. This study analyzes how the municipal rabies control coordination committee in Maramag functions, assessing the coherence between resources allocation and tasks distribution, harmonization of actions, and the orchestration of activities, through a participatory One Health approach. A qualitative design was used, including the analysis of official documents, 16 individual semi-structured interviews, and 3 group discussions, to map formal and informal coordination practice and stakeholder interactions. The results reveal limited involvement of actors in the animal health, education, traditional medicine, and civil society sectors. The dog population is managed by the municipal environment office, which has limited expertise in animal health. Despite the adoption of local ordinances aligned with the national legal framework, the absence of a specific framework for consultation or an integrated work plan hinders the coordination of efforts to fight rabies in Maramag. Several other factors constitue obstacles, such as the lack of education and comprehensive information on rabies among the population of Maramag, the use of dogs for medicinal and food purposes, and underfunding. The solutions co-constructed with the stakeholders focus on the creation of a municipal veterinary practice in Maramag, the revitalization of the periodic consultation framework involving all stakeholders, and the development of an integrated roadmap.

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© The Authors 2025