Even though India has many zoonotic diseases, rabies is one of the most ignored, yet it can be stopped by prompt action. The blog explains how essential it is to fight rabies, and explains the national actions to prevent rabies, and reveals the similarities between Earthling Trust work and the country’s health objectives.
What Is Rabies? Why Is It Deadly?
Rabies can be transmitted to humans mainly by dog bites, and dogs are the most likely carriers of the disease. As soon as symptoms show up, the disease usually results in death. Each year, it takes the lives of thousands across the globe, mostly because of dog bites
Out of the global rabies deaths, close to 18,000–20,000 are from India every year. The biggest losses happen among children and rural individuals, mainly where information and treatment are not easy to find.
The Cost of Neglect: Why Rabies Prevention Is So Important
- The impact of a single anxious dog bite may result in a deadly health condition unless treated fast. A situation where you risk your life.
- The Socio-economic impact on the victims must cover travel expenses, make several visits to clinics and either miss schooling or not work.
- More people could be affected. Because India has so many stray dogs, the virus may always be in the environment, putting many people at recurring risk.
- Losing out on possibilities to prevent anything from happening. PEP (Post-exposure prophylaxis), which requires wound care and immediate vaccination, is very effective, though many people do not use it because they are not informed or have limited resources.
National Front: Rabies Control Efforts
Leading activities to tackle rabies in India are handled by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP).
- Emphasis on reporting human rabies cases in many places helps improve the identification of the disease.
- People can access a helpline (15400) and reliable vaccination plans online.
- It is important to the government to widen who gets PEP, improve how it is ready and include education about PEP in programs for rural health.
- Nevertheless, some problems still need to be handled, such as controlling strays, fixing flaws in the education system and having vaccines accessible.
The Science Behind Prevention: What Works
India is striving to make sure that dog rabies does not cause human rabies by 2030 using a national strategy with important parts such as:
- At least 70% of dogs should be vaccinated in order to stop the spread of disease.
- For anyone who has been exposed, provide swift wound care and make vaccines easily available.
- Teaching & informing children and people living in rural areas about taking care of dog bites
- If rabies becomes reportable and people use current data and alerts, it can help stop outbreaks.
How Earthling Trust Can Help India Eliminate Rabies
Adopting a rescue dog is very satisfying, but you also have many duties to meet. Here are the reasons that Earthlings Trust (ET) is perfect for fostering in a caring way.
- Encouraging dogs to get vaccinated. Team up with local shelters, NGOs and government organisations to support and provide vaccinations in dangerous areas.
- Developing strategies to teach the public. Use messages that everyone can relate to in digital and printed materials, as well as in workshops at schools, to tell the community about bite management and pre-exposure prophylaxis.
- Working to manage the population of animals in an ethical way. Promote sterilisation and immunisation, and do not support culling, which suits the One Health approach.
- Forming collaborative networks to increase surveillance. Team up with MoHFW and NCDC to improve the procedure for rabies surveillance, logging cases and helping the community.
Conclusion
A lot of pain and lives are lost from rabies in India because many of these cases could be prevented. The plan shows that it is possible to eradicate rabies from the country. By selecting vaccination, education, animal welfare and using data as its approach, Earthling Trust may help India’s success grow everywhere in the country. A rabies-free India is achievable through compassion, new ideas and teamwork, and Earthling Trust will play an important part in getting there.
FAQs
Is rabies really fatal after symptoms appear?
Yes. As soon as signs such as fever, agitation or hydrophobia are present, almost all cases of rabies are fatal. For this reason, a bite victim needs to wash the wound and get vaccinated immediately.
Can vaccinating dogs really protect people?
Vaccinations interfere with the transmission process when given to 70% of dogs. Because of this strategy, cases of canine rabies were reduced by 92%, and no cases occurred in humans.
What should I do if bitten by a dog in India?
First, put soap and clean water on the wound and let it stay for 15 minutes. Later, they went straight away for medical care and received their dose of the rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin. You should visit your closest public health centre or dial 15400 for help.
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