Breaking Barriers: A Call to Action for World Rabies Day 2024
World Rabies Day is observed globally and annually on September 28 to raise awareness about Rabies (Disease), its prevention and control. It is crucial to understand the importance of World Rabies Day – 2024 (WRD – 2024) and its wide implications because it connects us with public health issues, global alliances, and the country’s role in combating the disease. The theme for WRD – 2024 is ‘Breaking Rabies Boundaries’ to overcome the barriers in the fight against rabies. This highlights the ongoing global efforts to overcome the geographical, social, and cultural barriers in the fight against rabies. By breaking such boundaries people all over the world can aim to ensure that all communities have access to the necessary knowledge to eliminate rabies.
To continue the legacy of commemorating this day we at the SKUAST-K’s Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Shuhama organized a Rabies awareness program for the students, non-teaching staff and the employees working in the Shuhama’s Animal Birth Control Unit run by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation for control of stray dog population. The Division of Veterinary Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Office of the Students Welfare and Medical Unit, Shuhama also held rabies vaccination drive for students, staff and the faculty working in the teaching veterinary hospital and the ABC unit. The vaccination was performed by the able staff of the Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College Srinagar that is signatory and important component of the varsity’s One Health Program.
Globally, India carries 1/3rd of the rabies burden. As per the data presented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Parliament, dog bite cases increased from 21.8 lakh to 27.5 lakh between 2022 and 2023. And Delhi saw the highest number (48) of deaths due to rabies followed by West Bengal. Arunachal Pradesh reported 6 rabies-related deaths since 2023, 3 in 2024. Despite availability of anti-rabies vaccine the disease remains challenging for countries like India to eradicate it completely. Goa is the first rabies controlled state in India by collaborating with an NGO ‘Mission Rabies’ in 2013. Strengthening vaccination campaign, educating the public as well as running education programs in school, availability of anti-rabies vaccine and serum at primary health care centre, intensified 24 hours rabies surveillance by involving emergency hotline service for dog bite victims contributed to its success. As per the Science Journal Nature Study, Goa has achieved 70% dog vaccination coverage rate in 2017 and a 92% reduction in monthly rabies cases. In 2021, Goa declared the first Indian state to be rabies-controlled area.
Challenges to Rabies Control
- Lack of awareness, information and communication on rabies transmission, diagnosis, treatment and control (99% rabies is transmitted by saliva and rest 1% by scratches, secretions that contaminate mucus mucous membranes, aerosolized virus that enters the respiratory tract and organs and tissue transplants; People often look for the tribal or local healer for the diagnosis and treatment of disease, without any medical treatment).
- Existence of large number of free roaming stray dogs (According to the State of Pet Homelessness report published in 2021, around 6.2 crore street dogs in India).
- Limited diagnostic facilities: The most challenging for veterinarians and doctors to diagnose rabies as the clinical signs are non-specific.
- Inadequate of Rabies surveillance.
- Poor coordination between medicos and vets in the Government health care delivery systems warranting One Health approach to achieving Zero Deaths by 2030.
- Poor anti-rabies vaccine storage and temperature monitoring equipment: Most of the vaccines have to be maintained at low temperature, between 2 to 8 °C, and due to poor infrastructure and storage capacity in peripheral settings the vaccines often loose their potency.
- Development of a competent One Health workforce through effective skills and educational training modules.
- No strict policy enforcement in India for dog licensing and mandatory vaccination. Countries like Singapore eradicated rabies effectively by strictly implementing dog registration policies along with mass vaccination programs and dog population management.
The eradication of human rabies is possible by introducing ‘Mission Rabies’ program at the state level in India. Without the support of public and Government offices, this fatal disease will continue to haunt the country. Together, we can make a major change and make India better tomorrow. Till the establishment of ‘School of One Health’ in SKUAST-Kashmir the question remains how and where we can work together to achieve Zero Rabies Deaths by 2030 and make India Rabies Free?
Every year, September 28 marks World Rabies Day (WRD), a vital occasion for raising awareness about rabies, its prevention, and control. This year’s theme, ‘Breaking Rabies Boundaries’, emphasizes the need to overcome geographical, social, and cultural barriers in the fight against this deadly disease. By breaking these boundaries, we can ensure that communities worldwide gain access to essential knowledge and resources to eliminate rabies.
In honour of WRD 2024, the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry at SKUAST-K’s Shuhama campus organized a comprehensive rabies awareness program. This initiative targeted students, non-teaching staff, and employees of the Animal Birth Control Unit run by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, which works to control the stray dog population. Our program included a vaccination drive, led by the Division of Veterinary Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, in collaboration with the Office of Students Welfare and the Medical Unit at Shuhama. The vaccinations were administered by the experts from the Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College Srinagar, a key partner in our university’s One Health Program.
Rabies is a pressing public health concern, with India bearing one-third of the global burden. Recent data reveals a disturbing rise in dog bite cases, jumping from 2.18 million to 2.75 million between 2022 and 2023. Delhi reported the highest number (47) of rabies-related deaths followed by West Bengal, highlighting the urgent need for action. Arunachal Pradesh reported 6 rabies-related deaths since 2023, 3 in 2024. Although effective anti-rabies vaccines are available, the disease remains a significant challenge for countries like India. Goa stands as a beacon of hope, having become the first rabies-controlled state in India in 2021 through a successful collaboration with the NGO ‘Mission Rabies’. By strengthening vaccination campaigns, educating the public, and ensuring the availability of vaccines at primary health care centres, Goa achieved a remarkable 70% dog vaccination coverage and a 92% reduction in rabies cases in 2017, reports the Science Journal Nature Study.
Challenges in Rabies Control
- Lack of Awareness: Many people seek local healers for rabies treatment instead of medical professionals, due to insufficient knowledge about the disease’s transmission and control.
- Stray Dog Population: With approximately 62 million stray dogs in India, controlling their population is critical.
- Limited Diagnostic Facilities: Non-specific clinical signs make rabies difficult to diagnose, complicating timely intervention.
- Inadequate Surveillance: Effective rabies surveillance systems are lacking across many regions.
- Poor Coordination: There is often insufficient collaboration between medical and veterinary professionals, undermining the One Health approach needed to achieve Zero Deaths by 2030.
- Vaccine Storage Issues: Inadequate infrastructure for vaccine storage leads to compromised vaccine potency.
- Training Workforce: Developing a competent One Health workforce through targeted education and skills training is essential.
- Lack of Policy Enforcement: Stricter dog licensing and vaccination policies, similar to those in Singapore, could significantly aid rabies control.
To eradicate human rabies, we must adopt programs like Mission Rabies at the state level across India. Public and governmental support is crucial; without it, this preventable disease will persist as a threat. Together, we can drive significant change and create a healthier future for our nation. As we advocate and wait for the establishment of a School of One Health at SKUAST-Kashmir, the question remains: How can we together achieve Zero Rabies Deaths by 2030 and make India rabies-free?
Keter Loya & Shanaz Bashir
Email: keterloya4444@gmail.com
(Keter Loya is a masters student and Shanaz Bashir works as Assistant Professor, Veterinary Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, FVSc & AH, Shuhama)
