The union health ministry is leading the initiative, bringing together representatives from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore to discuss a coordinated approach to eliminate the deadly disease.
A study published in The Lancet in January estimated that India sees about 5,700 human rabies deaths a year, nearly a 75% decrease over the past 20 years.
A coordinated approach
Rabies, a viral disease transmitted primarily through dog bites, is almost always fatal once symptoms manifest. Given that rabies is 100% preventable through vaccination and prompt medical care, this meeting is a crucial step towards achieving the global goal of zero human rabies deaths by 2030.
“The meeting will focus on India’s ‘One Health’ approach, and the country will showcase its best practices. These include robust surveillance systems, large-scale dog vaccination campaigns, effective treatment protocols for human patients, and widespread community education programs,” said the official, adding that the event has been planned for World Rabies Day next week.
A second official said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has directed states and union territories to strengthen control measures by following the ‘One Health’ approach. “States have been requested to collect and analyse data on rabies cases and vaccination coverage to inform prevention strategies,” the official said.
New initiatives and industry support
India is also set to launch several new initiatives under the National Rabies Control Program (NRCP). The government plans to introduce new guidelines to prevent and control rabies, and tap community platforms to enhance awareness.
The government will also launch a new toolkit for pre-exposure prophylaxis for high-risk groups and a standard operating procedure for joint investigations of suspected human rabies deaths. The initiative includes new guidelines for in-patient treatment of rabies. Meanwhile, the State Action Plan for Rabies Elimination (SAPRE) is being launched in seven states, including Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, and Karnataka.
Sivani Sarma Deka, COO of Indian business at Bharat Serums and Vaccines (BSV), said ensuring patients received the full post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) based on the guidelines required more than just medical supplies. “It demands strong public awareness, quick access to responsive healthcare infrastructure, and adequately trained practitioners to administer rabies immunoglobulin and vaccines.”
She added that BSV currently manufactures and supplies across both public and private health systems and hospitals. “The company has strengthened its production capacity, secured critical raw materials, and enhanced distribution to high-incidence regions,” she said.
Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, a public health expert and former president of the Indian Medical Association ‘s Cochin chapter, said the vast majority of rabies deaths occur because victims do not receive the recommended first aid and other treatment.
He said, “Although rare, rabies can occasionally occur even after both RIG and vaccine. This follows severe bites to the head, face, or fingertips, from where the virus can quickly reach the brain. Children, because of their smaller size, are especially vulnerable to high-risk bites. The number of such deaths is proportional to the total number of dog bites.”
“Reducing the number of deaths to zero will take more than improving the supply of RIG and vaccine. The rabies virus circulates among stray dogs, and can also spread to pets through contact—including with domestic cats. Continued measures are required to reduce the stray dog population and vaccinate all dogs. In high-incidence areas, pre exposure prophylaxis with rabies vaccine may be required,” Dr Jayadevan added.
According to the Lancet report cited above, 9.1 million animal bites occur every year in India, with the majority caused by dogs. Although 80% of the dog-bite victims received one dose of anti-rabies vaccination, only two-thirds received three doses, and 40% completed the prescribed vaccination schedule. Only a tenth of the eligible bite victims received passive immunisation. The survey also found that around half of the pet dogs in the households were not vaccinated against rabies.
Queries sent to the health ministry remained unanswered.
India’s love-hate relationship with strays
Through a Supreme Court ruling in late August, India modified its policy on stray dogs, allowing for the release of sterilised, vaccinated, and dewormed community dogs back into their original localities. The court banned public feeding of dogs but mandated the creation of dedicated feeding zones by municipalities. The court explicitly ruled that only dogs infected with rabies or those exhibiting aggressive behaviour should be confined to shelters.
The decision attempts to balance citizen concerns about dog bites and rabies with animal welfare, acknowledging the high number of dog bites and rabies cases in India while rejecting the previous prohibition on releasing street dogs into shelters.
