World Rabies Day is celebrated annually to raise awareness about rabies prevention and to highlight progress in defeating this horrifying disease.
28 September also marks the anniversary of Louis Pasteur's death, the French chemist and microbiologist, who developed the first rabies vaccine. Today, safe and efficacious animal and human vaccines are among the important tools that exist to eliminate human deaths from rabies while awareness is the key driver for success of communities to engage in effective rabies prevention.
Breaking Rabies Boundaries
The world has the vaccines, medicines, tools, and technologies to break the cycle of one of the oldest diseases. Together in unity we can eliminate rabies.
The World Rabies Day theme for 2024 is ‘Breaking Rabies Boundaries’, which was chosen to highlight the need for progress and moving beyond the status quo. Rabies control programmes offer a great example to operationalize One Health - building the structures and trust that are crucial to establish systems for other zoonotic diseases, including those that are pandemic-prone. This theme calls for innovative strategies and collaboration across various sectors and regions, highlighting the importance of integrating human, animal, and environmental health efforts. By breaking boundaries, we can overcome geographic, socio-economic, and educational barriers, ensuring widespread vaccination, awareness, and access to medical care. This unified approach is crucial in the fight against rabies, fostering a world where the disease is no longer a threat to both humans and animals. This theme highlights the need for cross-sectoral and cross-border collaborations, bringing together governments, health organizations, veterinary services, and communities. In addition, there is a double meaning in the theme in that rabies itself does not recognize borders or boundaries and so it is a transboundary disease.Global Strategic Plan for the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030 we have a shared global goal.
The theme further emphasizes the importance of equality and strengthening overall health systems by ensuring that One Health is not for a select few but rather something that should be available to everyone.
Eliminating Dog-Mediated Rabies in Sikkim, India: A 18-Year Pathway to Success for the SARAH Program
A third of the world rabies burden is in India. The Sikkim Anti-Rabies and Animal Health (SARAH) program is the first state-wide rabies program in India and demonstrates a successful One Health model of dog-mediated rabies elimination. The SARAH program was created in 2006 as a collaboration between the Government of Sikkim and international non-government organizations—Vets Beyond Borders and Foundation Brigitte Bardot. Activities are directed to canine rabies vaccination, humane dog population control, community education, and treatment of sick and injured animals. In 2005, there were 0.74 human rabies deaths per 100,000 (4 deaths) within Sikkim, and from 2006 to 2015, there were no human rabies deaths. In 2016, two human rabies deaths were reported near the West Bengal border region. From 2005 to 2024, the incidence of animal rabies is unknown; from 2010 to 2016, eight cases of animal rabies were reported. Major challenges for the program are continued commitment to rabies control in the face of 0 to low human rabies incidence and the risk of rabies incursions. Effective intersectoral communication between Health, Veterinary, Forestry, and Police officers is essential to enable rapid response to animal bite incidents and possible rabies incursions. An integrated One Health approach needs to be maintained with enhanced active rabies surveillance. Other states must establish similar programs if India is ever to achieve a goal of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies.
The SARAH community education on rabies prevention have been designed around core Buddhist and Nepali Hindu religious beliefs including animal sentience, the cherished relationship between people and dogs, and the role of dogs in providing security, and their loyalty and friendship. The Program recognizes that human–animal relationships are “economic, cultural, and emotional in nature” and that dog keeping practices and norms of responsible pet ownership vary in different localities and cultures and can change over time. Animal-welfare lessons were incorporated into early school syllabus in 2009, and further lessons will be incorporated in the syllabus. The Program has been very careful to address the felt needs of the community to generate community participation.
In various regions, local animal welfare organizations have been also involved in successfully reducing the incidence of rabies. For example, in rural communities where rabies was once rampant, vaccination drives led by these organizations have significantly lowered infection rates. By educating residents and providing accessible vaccination services, with joining efforts with Government agencies & SARAH team these areas have seen a marked reduction in rabies-related fatalities among both humans and animals.
Rabies remains a threat, but local animal welfare organizations are also making significant strides in combating the disease. Through awareness campaigns, vaccination drives, and community partnerships, they are building safer, healthier environments for both people and animals. Continued support and collaboration with these organizations are essential in the ongoing fight against rabies.