Machunde Bigambo
Rabies Free Tanzania, Tanzania, September 2020
Machunde Bigambo is the longest-standing member of Rabies Free Tanzania. He is dedicated to eliminating deaths from dog-mediated rabies and received a Rabies Hero Award for his contributions in Tanzania to make this goal a reality. His dedication has been fueled by the sad truth that “Rabies is killing people, especially kids“, as he says.
Chunde has a key role in the Serengeti Health Initiative. He was a member of the Carnivore Disease Research Program in the Serengeti Park in Tanzania, before the Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) took over the program in 2009 and is now the assistant program manager. He has been involved in research on thermotolerance of rabies vaccines, ecology and demography of free ranging dogs, as well as how to increase the vaccine uptake.
