World Rabies Day: When education saves lives

It's an ambitious plan, but the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) are calling for it.

This is so far the biggest global anti-rabies initiative, with the collaboration announced in conjunction with World Rabies Day 2017 today.

The World Rabies Day is celebrated on Sept 28 annually, to honour the anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur in 1895, who developed the first successful rabies vaccine made from rabid rabbits.

Rabies is almost always fatal once initial symptoms appear. According to the WHO, rabies takes one life every 15 minutes around the world. And four out of 10 deaths are in children.

Ninety-nine percent of the human deaths are due to rabid dog bites. There are other animals – both domestic and wild – that may transfer the virus through bites and scratches such as cats, bats, cows, goats, horses, rabbits and monkeys. But dogs are the most common source.

Once bitten by a rabid animal, it usually takes between one and three months for the symptoms to show. This is called the incubation period. However, the period may vary.

Rabies attacks the central nervous system. Initially, victims may suffer flu-like symptoms that would later develop into a fever, muscle weakness, excessive salivation and even fear of water (hydrophobia) in some cases.

As the virus spreads through the central nervous system, progressive, fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord develops.

EDUCATE OURSELVES

Rabies is 100 percent preventable. The key to this is vaccination and education.

In Malaysia, after almost 20 years of being rabies-free, five such death were reported in Sarawak since July this year. All the victims had suffered dog bites. And all the victims were children.

Besides vaccinating animals, death by rabies can be prevented if people know how to wash the bite wounds properly. The Health Ministry recommends immediate and thorough flushing and washing of the wound for a minimum 15 minutes with soap and water, detergent, povidone iodine or other substances that kill the rabies virus.

Victims should also obtain a series of post-exposure vaccinations as soon as possible after they are bitten. The number of doses required is determined by the victim’s previous immunization status.

One can also learn to understand dogs better so they know how to avoid bites.

The 'Zero by 30: The Strategic Plan' centres on a One Health approach and addresses the disease in a holistic and cross-sectoral manner while highlighting the important role veterinary, health and educational services play in rabies prevention and control.