Government launches National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP)

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The Strategies of the National Rabies Control Program are as follows:

• Provision of rabies vaccine & rabies immunoglobulin through national free drug initiatives.
• Training on appropriate animal bite management, prevention and control of rabies, surveillance and intersectoral coordination.
• Strengthening surveillance of animal bites and rabies deaths reporting.
• Creating awareness about rabies prevention.

About Rabies-

• Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic, viral disease. 
• It is one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) that predominantly affects poor and vulnerable populations who live in remote rural locations. 
• It is present on all continents, except Antarctica, with over 95% of human deaths occurring in the Asia and Africa regions. 
• Initial symptoms of rabies include a fever with pain and unusual or unexplained tingling, pricking, or burning sensation (paraesthesia) at the wound site. 
• As the virus spreads to the central nervous system, progressive and fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord develops.

• Transmission can also occur if saliva of infected animals comes into direct contact with human mucosa or fresh skin wounds. 

• It is spread to people and animals through bites or scratches, usually via saliva.
• Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is virtually 100% fatal. 
• In up to 99% of cases, domestic dogs are responsible for rabies virus transmission to humans. 
• Rabies can affect both domestic and wild animals. 
• Interrupting transmission is feasible through vaccination of dogs and prevention of dog bites.
• 40% of people bitten by suspect rabid animals are children under 15 years of age.
• Immediate, thorough wound washing with soap and water after contact with a suspect rabid animal is crucial and can save lives.
• WHO leads the collective “United Against Rabies” to drive progress towards “Zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030”.

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