World Rabies Day is observed each year on September 28
It marks the death anniversary of Louis Pasteur who is credited for developing the first effective rabies vaccine.
The Day is observed to promote the fight against Rabies, raise awareness on prevention and celebrate the achievements made.
The first World Rabies Day was celebrated on 28 September 2007
World Rabies Day 2022 Theme: “One Health, Zero Death”
While rabies is a 100% preventable disease, nearly 60,000 people die from the disease around the world each year. 40% of whom are children living in Asia and Africa.
Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) along with WHO and other global bodies have set a goal of zero dog-related rabies deaths by 2030
Zero by 30
Dogs are the primary source of rabies infection in humans. In some cases, bats are the culprit.
Over 95% of all human deaths caused by dog bites happen in Africa and Asia
Sad part is despite having all necessary tools - and that too cheap - to prevent rabies...
like vaccines and medicines, we haven't been able to prevent rabies related death globally
People often take dog bites casually as Rabies symptoms take times to appear, sometimes week.
It is this casual approach that is fatal as once the clinical symptoms of rabies appear, it becomes almost impossible to save the patient.
The rabies virus has to travel to the brain before it can cause symptoms. And this explains the delay.