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World Rabies Day

Eliminating the scourge

Ziauddin Ahmad
RABIES is not a new problem. In fact, evidence of rabies dates back about 4,000 years to Babylonia. It was reported in Europe in the Middle Ages. The first record of rabies in North America was in Virginia in the mid- 1700s. But it was not until late 19th century that Louis Pasteur and his assistant Emile Roux developed the first rabies vaccine. Rabies is a zoonotic disease, which means it can spread from animal to human. The virus can attach itself to the brain and nervous system and is fatal, especially without prompt treatment, unless the victim has been vaccinated against the disease.
Though the vaccine has been available since 1885, more than 55,000 people, mostly in Africa and Asia, die from rabies every year — a rate of one person every ten minutes. The most widespread source of rabies in humans is uncontrolled rabies in
further illustrates the widespread recognition of the need for action to control this easily preventable disease. Since the inaugural campaign in 2007, World Rabies Day events have been held in 150 countries; educating 182 million people and vaccinating 7.7 million dogs.
Bangladesh is fortunate to be one of the 150 countries. Directorate of disease control under directorate general of health
dogs. Children are often at greatest risk from rabies. They are more likely to be bitten by dogs, and are also more likely to be severely exposed through multiple bites in high-risk sites on the body. Severe exposures make it more difficult to prevent rabies unless access to good medical care is immediately available. This major source of rabies in humans can be eliminated through ensuring adequate animal vaccination and control, educating those at risk, and enhancing access of those bitten to appropriate medical care.
The mission ofWorld Rabies Day is to raise awareness about the impact of human and animal rabies, how easy it is to prevent it, and how to eliminate the main global sources. Even though the major impact of rabies occurs in regions of the world where many needs are present, rabies should no longer be neglected. The tools and technology for prevention of human rabies and elimination of dog rabies are available.
In 2006, a group of researchers and professionals formed "Global Alliance for Rabies Control." They started the World Rabies Day and invited partners to join. World Rabies Day now involves every major human and animal health partner at the international, national, state/provincial, and local levels as well as veterinary, medical and other specialised professional and student organisations, and corporate and non-profit partners. The goal of this outreach is to mobilise awareness and resources in support of human rabies prevention and animal rabies control.
With the initial goal of engaging 55,000 people to take action, one for each person who dies each year from rabies, the inaugural campaign in September 2007 saw participation from nearly 400,000 people in 74 countries! This overwhelming response was an important step forward for rabies prevention and control and
services, with other NGOs like Rabies in Asia Foundation (RIAF), Bangladesh, APCRIB, Avoy aronnya etc., has been observing World Rabies Day in a befitting manner since its inception.
Rabies is one of the most neglected diseases. Every year more than 2,000 people die of rabies in Bangladesh, of which most are children. Rabies in humans is 100% preventable through prompt, appropriate medical care. Few countries in the world have been declared as rabies free country. Taking this into account, the government of Bangladesh has taken initiatives to eliminate rabies. The directorate general of health services has undertaken rabies elimination programmes since 2010 with tremendous effort.
Post exposure treatment centres have been established in all district hospitals and in infectious diseases hospitals. Peoples are getting treatment free of cost. The ways for elimination of rabies adopted by the government are (i) advocacy, communication and social mobilisation (ii) appropriate post-exposure management free of cost (iii) mass dog vaccination; and (iv) dog population management.
The number of rabies cases in infectious diseases hospitals in Dhaka has fallen by at least 50% and mass dog vaccination has already ended in 35 municipalities of Rangpur division. Mass dog vaccination will be done in other municipalities also. If this programme runs unhampered, the target of elimination of rabies will be achieved soon.
The lesson of World Rabies Day is that rabies elimination is possible and easily achievable, but requires united efforts by the health sector, LGRD, livestock services, international organisations, NGOs and the community itself.
The writer Is Chairman, Rabies in Asia Foundation, Bangladesh.