New York, 28 September 2022 (TDI): World’s Rabies Day has been annually commemorated on the 28th of September around the globe since 2007.
The commemorations aim to spread awareness about the disease, its fatalities, and preventive measures.
For #WorldRabiesDay tomorrow, let’s remember that #rabies affects mostly children 🧒 👦 👧 in developing countries.
Protect our youth, protect our future. Don’t hesitate, vaccinate dogs against rabies!
💉 🐕 💉 🐕 💉 🐕 💉 pic.twitter.com/MZJdLv87Op
— World Organisation for Animal Health (@WOAH_Global) September 27, 2022
The 28th of September marks the death anniversary of Louis Pasteur. To honor Louis Pasteur’s efforts in inventing a vaccine for the disease, this date was chosen as world rabies day.
This year’s World Rabies Day theme is: “One Health, Zero Death”. It signifies the importance of global integration to reduce the death rate due to rabies to zero. It highlights that the environment affects both people and animals and vice versa.
During the pandemic, the entire globe witnessed the achievements of the health sector because of collaborations and unity. World rabies day also asks the world to stand united against this disease and take collective actions to fight it.
Also read: End of COVID-19 is in sight: World Health Organization
World Organization for Animal Health says that Rabies has a 99% fatality rate but it is 100% avoidable. Vaccination of pets can undoubtedly prevent this disease.
Today, the world has the vaccines, medicines, tools, and technologies to fight off this disease, it only requires collective effort.
#DYK? Rabies is 99% fatal 🚨 🐕 🚨 🐕 🚨 when you’re bitten by a rabid animal and start to show symptoms.
However, it’s 100% preventable! Don’t hesitate, vaccinate dogs against #rabies!
#WorldRabiesDay pic.twitter.com/6AEseTkBOY— World Organisation for Animal Health (@WOAH_Global) September 27, 2022
On this day, international organizations reiterate the global strategic plan of eliminating this disease. This plan aims at zero dog-mediated human rabies deaths by the year 2030. It is aligned with the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) road map.
NTD’s roadmap focuses on introducing health programs to cure NTD within national health systems. The approaches highlighted in the Global Strategic Plan for rabies and the road map emphasize the importance of collaboration.
The global community joined hands and eradicated a pandemic with unity and collaboration. It is therefore important to join hands with stakeholders at community, local, national, and global levels to strengthen health systems.
On this day, various health agencies urge the world to strengthen rabies control programs and save lives.
