Every year, rabies claims more than 60,000 lives globally, with India alone accounting for nearly 36 percent of those deaths. Despite being entirely preventable, millions remain at risk.

On the World Rabies Day, observed on September 28 in honor of Louis Pasteur, a UNDP report said, inadequate public awareness, low vaccination coverage for dogs, and limited access to post-exposure treatment have contributed to a persistent rabies crisis in India.

“Previous efforts were decentralized, with sporadic local campaigns failing to achieve long-term impact. While initiatives like the Animal Birth Control program showed potential, they lacked the national cohesion necessary for significant progress,” the report says.

Among the over 200 known zoonotic diseases - those that transmit from animals to humans - rabies is one of the deadliest. It is particularly prevalent in areas with frequent human interaction with stray or domesticated dogs.

Key facts

• Rabies is a serious public health problem in over 150 countries and territories, mainly in Asia and Africa. It is a viral, zoonotic, neglected tropical disease that causes tens of thousands of deaths annually, with 40% being children under 15.

• Rabies spreads to people and animals via saliva, usually through bites, scratches, or direct contact with mucosa (e.g. eyes, mouth, or open wounds). Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is virtually 100% fatal.

• Dog bites and scratches cause 99% of the human rabies cases, and can be prevented through dog vaccination and bite prevention.

• Once the virus infects the central nervous system and clinical symptoms appear, rabies is fatal in 100% of cases.

• However, rabies deaths are preventable with prompt post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) by stopping the virus from reaching the central nervous system. PEP consists of thorough wound washing, administration of a course of human rabies vaccine and, when indicated, rabies immunoglobulins (RIG). 

• If a person is bitten or scratched by a potentially rabid animal, they should immediately and always seek PEP care.

• The global cost of rabies is estimated to be around US$ 8.6 billion per year including lost lives and livelihoods, medical care and associated costs, as well as uncalculated psychological trauma.

This year the World Rabies Day theme is ‘Breaking Rabies Boundaries’, which, according to the World Health Organisation 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,” the WHO said.

“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,” the WHO added.