One Health
Third Meeting: South Asia Rabies Laboratory Network (SA-RABNET)
March 03, 2025
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Rabies is endemic in much of the SAARC South Asia sub-region, accounting for about 45% of the global burden of human rabies. WOAH initiated and has been managing capacity building measures such as regional and country-level rabies diagnosis training in the sub-region for many years.
The South Asia Rabies Laboratory Network (SA-RABNET) was launched in April 2023, following calls for a platform to connect laboratories (National Lead Rabies Laboratories, or RLDLs) involved in the diagnosis of rabies in animals in the sub-region.
The network’s purpose is to strengthen the rabies diagnostic and surveillance capabilities of the RLDLs in South Asia. Network members agreed to meet virtually once every six months to discuss key progress and challenges in pursuit of rabies elimination from South Asia. The network met in Spring 2025 for its Third Meeting on 3 March 2025.
As planned, the WOAH Regional Representation for Asia and the Pacific (RRAP) in collaboration with Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (KVAFSU), India, organised the Fourth Meeting of the South Asia Rabies Laboratory Network (SA-RABNET) on 29 October 2025. A total of 24 attendees, including 16 Network Members (see Annexure 1 of the meeting report) from seven South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Members (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) attended the meeting.
A series of presentations were made on topics such as updates from the Members on recent progress made in rabies diagnosis and surveillance since the last meeting. WOAH and KVAFSU also made presentations recent activities conducted including a technical presentation from WOAH Reference Laboratory (KVAFSU) on use of molecular epidemiological techniques to support rabies prevention and control.
Based on the challenges faced by the Members, the way forward would be for Members to participate in laboratory proficiency testing to strengthen quality of diagnostic services and the need for WOAH and partners to support Members in quality vaccine production/supply including accessing quality rabies vaccine virus strains.
Dr Barun Sharma from Nepal as the incumbent Chair, chaired the 4th Network meeting of SA-RABNET.
Date: 29 October 2025
Venue: Virtual
Participation: By invitation
Agenda: PDF
Presentations: ZIP file
Meeting Report: PDF
