BusinessWire India
New Delhi [India], October 9: Public health experts at the 4th Edition of Rabies Awareness Summit agreed that sensitisation through digital means coupled with track and treat approach can play significant role in achieving the target of a “Rabies Free India by 2030”. The Summit was organised by the health think tank IHW Council in collaboration with Zydus Lifesciences Ltd, as part of its awareness initiatives under VIRAM – Full Stop on Rabies, to commemorate World Rabies Day. The Summit saw medical professionals, public health experts, pharma sector and policy regulators coming together to address rabies as a growing health concern in the country and to devise an action plan to control the instances of rabies in the country.
Speaking on the occasion Dr Rajnish Kumar, Chief Medical Officer & Incharge, M.V.I.D. Hospital, New Delhi and Past Zonal Representative North Zone, Association for Prevention and Control of Rabies in India APCRI highlighted the strategies being implemented under the National Action Plan for Dog Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE) and focussed on capacity building of medical communities, surveillance, communication strategies, animal birth control & vaccination of dogs.
The World Rabies, observed annually on September 28th, is a global initiative to enhance awareness regarding rabies and its prevention. It is a day dedicated to advocating for actions that aim to eradicate rabies as a threat to public health and to disseminate life-saving knowledge amongst all.
While taking part in the discussion Dr Akhil Dhanesh Goel, Additional Professor, Community Medicine & Family Medicine, AIIMS, Jodhpur and the Nodal Officer for Yellow Fever & Adult Vaccination, AIIMS, Jodhpur remarked, “Counselling the patient is important to ensure good compliance As far as the complete post-exposure prophylaxis is concerned, which includes administration of either Rabies immunoglobulins or monoclonal antibodies by local wound infiltration and proper administration of anti-rabies vaccine as per schedule. The patients need to be educated on the risks of not taking the vaccine and the passive immunisation in the form of either Immunoglobulins or monoclonal antibodies, at the initial visits and primary health centres also need to follow counselling for better health outcomes.”
The theme for World Rabies Day in 2023 is “All for 1, One Health for All”. Emphasising on the significance of cooperation, equity, and the reinforcement of comprehensive healthcare systems to fight rabies and make healthcare and vaccination accessible to all. The phrase “All for 1” highlights the shared responsibility to eradicate rabies and the manner communities can collaborate to assist both individuals and animals, to effectively pursue a common objective of a rabies free world.[1]
Nitin Kumar Jain, Sr General Manager, Zydus Vaccines & Equals Two, “Rabies prevention is a challenge that needs collective efforts and demands the integration of all stakeholders. We at Zydus will stand as a catalyst to support India’s mission “Zero by 2030″ with continuous innovation to bridge the existing gap by strengthening awareness & education in collaboration with medical bodies through VIRAM initiatives. To overcome the existing challenges related to the availability of immunoglobulins, a crucial component of rabies post-exposure- prophylaxis, Zydus has developed the World’s First Cocktail of Rabies monoclonal Antibodies (RmAbs) in joint effort with World Health Organisation collaborating centres, which is a significant step in addressing this issue worldwide & a critical component in Rabies complete PEP & Saving Lives.”
An overwhelming 1.6 crore cases of dog bite were reported in the country between 2019 and 2022, according to Parliament of India Data 2023, India witnesses an estimated 18,000-20,000 deaths annually due to rabies. While there is no known cure once symptoms manifest, rabies is entirely preventable. The most effective method for preventing rabies is through vaccination. Ensuring that pets are also vaccinated is crucial, as they can transmit the virus to humans.[2]
The experts at the Summit included Dr Anurag Agarwal, Professor, Dept of Paediatrics, Maulana Azad Medical College and Founder Secretary Consortium against Rabies and M.K. Sudarshan, Founder of the Association for Prevention & Control of Rabies in India (APCRI) and they emphasised on better wound identification (in case of confusion as far as wound identification is concerned it’s better to go by the safer approach and over treat) the slogan “Any Sight of Blood in Animal Bite is Category 3 Bite”. He further stated that in the context of unavailability of immunoglobulins, monoclonal antibodies have emerged as a promising substitute for rabies immunoglobulins (RIGs) due to high efficacy, elimination of use of animals in the production process, standardized manufacturing process & reduction in the risk of adverse events.
Sharing his insights on the public health emergency Kamal Narayan, CEO, IHW Council said, “It is rather disappointing to note that a 100% preventable disease is claiming so many lives in the country. In India, there is a sea of misinformation and myths related to dog bites and hence there is a reluctance in seeking medical care. It is of utmost importance that we effectively bridge the gaps in awareness and educate people on the significance of life saving medical interventions including complete post-exposure prophylaxis, IHW Council has been driving this change through its Rabies Prevention Summit as we believe that knowledge sharing can lead to behavioural change thereby inspiring action and better health outcomes for all.”
[1] https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2023/09/28/default-calendar/world-rabies-day-2023
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