Issuing a press statement on the eve of World Rabies Day that falls on September 28, the WHO revealed that South-East Asia Region had more deaths due to rabies than any other part of the world.[break]
Rabies kills 21,000-24,000 people in the region which is approximately 45 percent of deaths due to the disease. The actual number is likely to be far higher since many cases of rabies are not reported, the statement claimed.
“Rabies is a fatal disease, but it can and must be prevented,” the statement quoted Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Region Dr Samlee Plianbangchang as saying.
“Rabies is a serious public health problem in South-East Asia, and countries must develop and implement comprehensive national rabies control programs through partnership in order to sustain prevention of rabies and move toward elimination of human rabies,” the statement quotes Dr Plianbangchang as adding.
The statement attributed high prevalence to a combination of large human and dog populations in congested habitable areas combined with widespread poverty. “More than 1.4 billion people are potentially at the risk of rabies in this region. Children aged 5-15 years represent 40 percent of people exposed to dog-bites in rabies-endemic areas,” the statement revealed.
The statement said the WHO Regional Office for South East Asia has developed a regional strategic framework for elimination of human rabies transmitted by dogs.
“The strategic framework will provide technical leadership, encourage national health authorities in member states to develop consensus among major stakeholders for a comprehensive rabies elimination program and implement national strategies for elimination of human rabies considering the epidemiological situation, technical feasibility and socio-cultural context,” the statement states.
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