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Activities for World Rabies Day in our region in 2024
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The experiences of government Veterinary Services in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, India, show that awareness and community engagement are key aspects of effective rabies control. Rabies is a devastating, deadly disease that cannot be effectively dealt with via only technical means. Public awareness of the potential danger of animal bites and scratches, and available treatment methods, support and augment efforts to control rabies.
Children are a key target audience for awareness efforts: data from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that 4 out of 10 rabies deaths are in children under the age of 15. Hence, efforts towards spreading awareness about the disease have increased impact when focusing on this segment of a community.
(September 2024) Rabies Educator, Mission Rabies, Ms Deepali Mehta educating children about the basics of rabies and preventive measures. (credit: Dr Anil Kumar Sharma , Department of Animal Husbandry, Himachal Pradesh, India)
Collaboration with Mission Rabies
To effectively execute a rabies education programme, the Department of Animal Husbandry of Himachal Pradesh collaborated with the charity Mission Rabies in India. It began implementing rabies education campaigns in schools and communities. The programme had a massive impact, raising disease awareness among communities and teaching immediate prevention techniques that can be done before reaching a medical professional in clinics or hospitals. These include washing wounds for 10-15 minutes, applying antiseptic, etc.
(July 2023) Spreading rabies awareness in communities through leaflets in the regional language. (credit: Dr Anil Kumar Sharma, Department Animal Husbandry, Himachal Pradesh, India)
Awareness an important part of any strategy to combat rabies
Well-planned and executed rabies education programmes continue to be an important part of efforts to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies in India. Successful results and experiences in Himachal Pradesh, India show that awareness is strategically an important aspect of rabies control, which would be useful to replicate in all parts of the world where the disease is endemic.
(September 2024) Rabies Education Programme in Delhi Public School Jhakri, Himachal Pradesh, India under the leadership of Dr Anil Kumar Sharma, Animal Rabies Expert, Department of Animal Husbandry, Ms Ekta Dhiman, President, Humane People NGO, Ms Deepali Mehta, Rabies Educator, Mission Rabies India. Also included are Humane People NGO volunteers Payal Mehta and Rajat Negi, and teachers of DPS Jhakri. (credit: Department of Animal Husbandry, Himachal Pradesh, India)
(September 2024) Dr Anil Kumar Sharma, Rabies Expert, Department of Animal Husbandry, Himachal Pradesh, speaking to children at Delhi Public School, Jakhri to spread awareness about rabies and preventive measures. (credit: Department of Animal Husbandry, Himachal Pradesh, India)
(September 2024) Schoolchildren asking questions during the rabies awareness programme. (credit: Dr Anil Kumar Sharma, Department of Animal Husbandry, Himachal Pradesh, India)
