{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T18:51:22Z","timestamp":1791226282144,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791158400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosntds.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS Negl Trop Dis"],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Across Sub-Saharan Africa, implementation of mass dog vaccination programmes is frequently constrained by inconsistent vaccine procurement, financing limitations, cold-chain requirements, and weaknesses in distribution systems, rather than complete vaccine unavailability. Achieving and sustaining at least 70% vaccination coverage in dog populations is widely recognized as essential for interrupting transmission; however, there is limited operational evidence from municipal campaigns conducted in rapidly urbanizing, resource-constrained settings. We evaluated the implementation and outcomes of a One Health-coordinated free mass dog rabies vaccination campaign conducted in September 2024 in Techiman South Metropolitan, Ghana.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methodology<\/jats:title>\n A mixed-methods post-campaign assessment was undertaken two weeks after campaign completion. Quantitative data were collected from 200 dog-owning households using structured questionnaires, and administrative vaccination records were reviewed to estimate overall coverage. In addition, key informant interviews were conducted with veterinary officers, public health professionals, environmental health personnel, and community leaders involved in campaign delivery. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize household participation and awareness indicators, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Principal findings<\/jats:title>\n Among surveyed households, 59.5% owned more than one dog and 51.5% reported vaccinating at least one dog during the campaign. Awareness that rabies is fatal increased from 45% (self-reported pre-campaign recall) to 75% after the campaign period, while awareness that rabies is preventable increased from 40% to 70%. Administrative records indicated that approximately 5,600 dogs were vaccinated, corresponding to an estimated 70% metropolitan-level coverage based on projected dog population figures. Participants identified strong multisectoral collaboration and World Rabies Day mobilization as key facilitators. Implementation barriers included vaccine supply delays, limited cold-chain capacity, inadequate access for peri-urban communities, and the absence of strategies to vaccinate free-roaming dogs.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions\/Significance<\/jats:title>\n The evaluation demonstrated that the Techiman mass dog vaccination campaign achieved administrative vaccination coverage exceeding the internationally recommended threshold while identifying implementation barriers that may influence effective population immunity. The findings highlight the importance of improving vaccine logistics, expanding access to peri-urban communities, strengthening monitoring systems, and incorporating strategies for vaccinating free-roaming dogs during future campaigns.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0014080","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T17:59:30Z","timestamp":1791223170000},"page":"e0014080","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Evaluation of mass dog vaccination campaign in Techiman, Ghana"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-9515-3213","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Prince Kyere","family":"Dwaah","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Veterinary Service Directorate, Disease Investigation Farm\/Regional Veterinary Laboratory","place":["Techiman, Bono East, Ghana"]},{"name":"University of Skill Training and Entrepreneurial Development","place":["Asante-Mampong, Ghana"],"department":["Faculty of Environment and Public Health Education, Public Health Department"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sylvia Afriyie","family":"Squire","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - Animal Research Institute","place":["Accra, Ghana"],"department":["Animal Health Division"]},{"name":"CSIR College of Science and Technology","place":["Accra, Ghana"],"department":["Department of Animal Resources Development"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nana Yaa","family":"Awua-Boateng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Skill Training and Entrepreneurial Development","place":["Asante-Mampong, Ghana"],"department":["Faculty of Environment and Public Health Education, Public Health Department"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Denis Dekugmen","family":"Yar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Skill Training and Entrepreneurial Development","place":["Asante-Mampong, Ghana"],"department":["Faculty of Environment and Public Health Education, Public Health Department"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David","family":"Kando","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ghana Health Service, Municipal Health Directorate","place":["Techiman, Bono East, Ghana"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abraham","family":"Num","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ghana Health Service, Municipal Health Directorate","place":["Techiman, Bono East, Ghana"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Princess","family":"Amissah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Skill Training and Entrepreneurial 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Science"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]]},"reference":[{"issue":"4","key":"pntd.0014080.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0003709","article-title":"Estimating the global burden of endemic canine rabies","volume":"9","author":"K Hampson","year":"2015","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"pntd.0014080.ref002","volume-title":"Human rabies: Prevention and management","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2023"},{"issue":"11","key":"pntd.0014080.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(16)30245-5","article-title":"2016: The beginning of the end of rabies?","volume":"4","author":"B Abela-Ridder","year":"2016","journal-title":"Lancet Glob Health"},{"key":"pntd.0014080.ref004","volume-title":"Rabies: Key facts","author":"World Health 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Braun","year":"2006","journal-title":"Qual Res Psychol"}],"container-title":["PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.0014080","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T17:59:35Z","timestamp":1791223175000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.0014080"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Simon","family":"Rayner","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Universitetet i 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