This document compares the diseases rabies and Ebola, describing them as "heavyweight" viruses. While Ebola is currently affecting West Africa, rabies has been endemic for longer and kills over 55,000 people annually worldwide through animal bites. Although both diseases are lethal, rabies has caused more total deaths globally and on more continents than Ebola. The document calls for greater efforts to be made in controlling rabies in Nigeria through programs to vaccinate pets, remove stray animals, and enforce animal health regulations.

1. RABIES VERSUS EBOLA: FIGHT OF 'OLD' AND 'YOUNG' DEADLY SCOURGES .
The awareness about the coming WORLD RABIES DAY 2014 (September 28) provides a very good
opportunity and a platform to do a comparison of these two deadly and zoonotic diseases that have
been ravaging and killing thousands of people. Although Ebola, with its final arrival in Nigeria after
several months of causing deaths and anguish(warning us to take preventive and proactive actions as a
nation )in neighboring countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra-Leone and becoming the current rave of
the moment will not in a way diminish the focus or take the shine off rabies as an equal deadl y ,if not
even more devastating disease and scourge than Ebola. In fact, looking at them in the context of Boxing
as a game, combatants and personalizing the viruses that are causing the diseases,both are in fact
'heavy weights' in their own rights.
While Mad dog disease(Rabies)as a virus and disease has being with us(endemic)and a 'naturalized
resident'(in fact, people hardly remember or know of this), and also a great 'silent' killer.His exploits
over the years as a scourge and killer deserve a comparison to Ebola,a new and emerged disease in
Nigeria with its own records of 'achievements'. Actually, If both were to be boxing heavyweights from
the context in which we are looking at them, Ebola is a minor, dwarf and newcomer in terms of his
destruction and carnage ,making rabies ( Mad dog disease) to have the title 'the best devastating
scourge and killer of all times'. But then, if the accuracy of that assessment is a subject of much debates,
it is definitely hard to argue with the numbers.
Although both 'personalities' are heavy weights and lethal,rabies seems to have more 'impressive'
records than Ebola. With rabies' record of 55,000 deaths annually worldwide,all through bites and
infections and no defeats(no survivors) yet compared to Ebola's record of less than 3,000 deaths mostly
on African soil, all through contacts and infections and some defeats( some real survivors ),it is obvious
who the greater of the heavyweights or Killers - deaths for deaths is. In addition,Ebola is more of a local
or continental African heavyweight judging from where he had caused havocs and deaths (mostly
countries in West, East and Central Africa), while rabies is more of an intercontinental, worldwide
citizen and heavyweight, as he has records of anguish, destructions and deaths in the six continents of
the world,making the comparison a non-issue or the fight a no contest.
Surprisingly, Rabies and Ebola are related,just like the Klitschko brothers,in that they are both viral
diseases. They share similarities in being both zoonotic. Both have bats(either fruits or vampire )as
animal vectors for their spread. While Rabies has infected dogs,cats and other animals as host for most
transmissions(through bites and contacts with the saliva) to humans and other animals, Ebola has
infected animals like non-human primates, bats and other animals and humans as sources of
transmission.
The current efforts though commendable,most people believe that in more organized climes, Ebola and
his widely travelled viral Promoter(not Mr. Don King)cum diplomat,Late Mr. Patrick Sawyerr would have
been 'quizzed'-a proactive and preventive screening put up long time at the airport ,even at the land
borders and seaports-and quarantined at the medical facility(if any)inside or by the Airport judging from
their flight details and thereafter appropriate 'actions' taken.

2. It is this consequence of our unpreparedness,ineptitude and carelessness that is the cause of fears,
trepidations,reactive actions rather than proactive ones and deaths. And that if a quarter of what had
been earmarked and expended(including donations in Nigeria and to other West African countries)on
Ebola, and with all the awareness( in the media and everywhere)and all concerted efforts to contain and
control it had been used for rabies' eradication and control all these years ,rabies would have been
declared eradicated from Nigeria by the world health organization(WHO).
In the final analysis, the recent killing of two people(James[14] and Aishat[21])in Meiran,a suburb of
Lagos in August this year (Last month!) by a stray rabid dog in the midst of the focus and awareness on
Ebola testified to the fact that all the outcries and outbursts by all to governments and all to take the
control and eradication of this disease with all the seriousness it deserves is not a hoax. This is coming a
year after another reported death of a young, male and married banker that was also cut down by
another stray rabid dog in Lagos. These are just few of the reported cases, there are hundreds,if not
thousands of unreported and undocumented cases of people dying 'silently' and unaccounted for due to
this deadly scourge.
Without instilling fears and panic in the populace and as first step and measure of personal safety and
precautions, people must sidestep, avoid and be wary of loose and stray dogs(especially)and cats in the
community.
Governments must enforce annual vaccinations and revaccinations of pets strictly tied to pets'
registration and licensing as being done in the years' past and like with the annual vehicle licensing and
registrations. Governments must also have a programme that rid the streets of stray dogs, cats and
other animals and reinvigorate such programmes if they already exist. This will in no small way
eradicate incidences of stray pets and animals and therefore rabies.