Nghe An: Strictly handle establishments and individuals who propagate and use traditional medicine to treat rabies.

Nghe An Department of Health has just issued an official dispatch on strengthening prevention and control work.rabiesand limit the use of traditional medicine to treat diseasesrabies in the province to the Provincial Center for Disease Control; Health Department and Health Centers of districts, towns and Vinh city.

The document stated: According to the report of the Center for Disease Control of Nghe An province, in the first 10 months of 2022, 5 deaths due to rabies were recorded in the province, including: 1 case in Nam Dan; 1 case in Thanh Chuong; 2 cases in Quy Hop and 1 case in Thai Hoa. The results of the investigation of the deaths showed that most of them were due to late detection, patients did not get vaccinated and there was a situation of usingtraditional medicineto treat rabies.

Faced with this situation, Nghe An Department of Health requested the Health Departments of districts, towns and Vinh city to coordinate with the Health Center to advise the People's Committees of districts, towns and cities to implement Decision No. 766 QD-UBND dated March 24, 2022 of the Provincial People's Committee on promulgating the Plan for rabies prevention and control in Nghe An province for the period 2022-2030; strengthen the work of reviewing, inspecting and handling facilities that treat rabies for people with dogs and cats using traditional medicine in the area.

Advise and direct the People's Committees of communes, wards and towns to establish interdisciplinary inspection teams with the participation of the police force to regularly inspect establishments that propagate and use traditional medicine to treat rabies for people bitten by dogs and cats; strictly handle cases of using traditional medicine to treat rabies that affect people's health (if any).

People need to vaccinate their dogs and cats against rabies to avoid unfortunate consequences. Photo courtesy

The Provincial Center for Disease Control implements guidelines for rabies prevention and control in humans according to the provisions of Decision 1622/QD-BYT dated May 8, 2014 of the Minister of Health on guidelines for rabies prevention and control surveillance; strengthens the direction of rabies surveillance and detection in humans, reports suspected rabies cases, reports on the number of people vaccinated against rabies at all levels; strengthens rabies vaccination, surveillance of rabies cases in humans, monitoring and managing people vaccinated against rabies; provides professional training for preventive health workers on examination and consultation, treatment of wounds when bitten by animals suspected of having rabies, monitoring and managing people bitten by animals suspected of having rabies, vaccination techniques... Organizes communication and education campaigns to raise awareness of people and the community about rabies and how to prevent rabies in humans and animals.

Medical Centers of districts, towns and Vinh city promote activities to advise people in the community about rabies; measures to prevent and handle when bitten by animals suspected of having rabies; benefits of rabies vaccination; strengthen surveillance and detection of rabies in humans, report suspected rabies cases, report the number of people vaccinated against rabies according to regulations...