World Rabies Day is observed on September 28 every year in order to raise awareness about rabies prevention. This day also seeks to highlight the progress in defeating this viral disease. World Rabies Day also marks the death anniversary of French biologist, microbiologist and chemist, Louis Pasteur, who developed the first rabies vaccine in 1885. It is worth noting that safe and efficacious animal and human vaccines are among the most important tools by which we can eliminate deaths caused by rabies. Moreover, the day is an occasion to raise awareness about the engagements of the communities in a holistic manner for effective rabies prevention.
Significance of World Rabies Day
According to the CDC, while rabies is a 100 percent preventable disease, nearly 60,000 people die from this viral infection around the world each year. This day is an opportunity to reflect on our efforts to control the deadly disease. In order to effectively tackle rabies, public and private entities need to work together to provide information on how to prevent the disease among at-risk communities. Governments around the world need to support advocacy for increased efforts in rabies control. On this day, the governments should also focus on how to successfully implement animal control and vaccination programs.
The theme of World Rabies Day
The theme for this year’s World Rabies Day is ‘One Health, Zero Deaths’. This day will highlight the connection of the environment with both people and animals. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the stark vulnerabilities of health systems across the world. But, the pandemic also demonstrated that collaboration across sectors can do wonders for humanity in terms of healthcare. This theme sends out the message that the world has the vaccines, medicines, tools, and technologies to break the cycle of one of the deadliest diseases in the world.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)