Focus on controlling and eliminating rabies

PV:Can you tell us about the dangers of rabies to human and animal health?
Mr. Dang Van Minh:According to the World Health Organization (WHO), rabies is a common disease worldwide, caused by a virus, and about 99% of rabies cases are transmitted to humans by domestic dogs.
Animals infected with rabies can transmit the disease to other animals or humans through bites. In some cases, the disease can be transmitted through saliva contact with open wounds or mucous membranes such as the eyes and nose. For example, if an infected animal, which is still in the incubation period, licks a wound on your skin, you can become infected.Dog bite victimIf not vaccinated, rabies can develop.

The risk of rabies infection depends on many factors, such as whether the animal is rabid or not, the amount of virus in the animal's saliva, whether the wound is shallow or deep, whether the injured area is cleaned and disinfected promptly after being bitten by a dog, etc.

Animals infected with rabies will transmit the disease to other animals or humans through bites. Illustration photo

There is currently no effective treatment for rabies once clinical signs appear. Immediate post-bite vaccination remains the most effective means of prevention and protection.

Every year, rabies still kills 60,000 - 70,000 people and millions of animals worldwide. This is an extremely dangerous disease, when it breaks out, 100% of both the bitten person and the bitten animal die. However, many people are still negligent, do not understand the disease well, so they are very subjective or treat it incorrectly, endangering their lives.

PV:Thus, this disease causes a very high mortality rate in humans and animals. So in reality, how has the work of preventing and controlling rabies in our province been carried out in recent years, sir?

Pursuant to Decision No. 193/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister on approving the National Program to control and eliminate rabies in the period of 2017-2021; on November 29, 2017, the Provincial People's Committee issued Plan No. 708/KH-UBND on implementing the National Program to control and eliminate rabies in the period of 2018-2021 in Nghe An province.

To prevent and minimize the harmful effects of rabies, managing and vaccinating dogs and cats is a solution of primary importance. Illustrative photo

By the end of 2020, localities had implemented Plan 708/KH-UBND and achieved some remarkable results. Rabies epidemics in animals as well as in humans decreased annually; in 2020, there were 6 human deaths due to rabies, a decrease of 3 cases compared to 2019 and a decrease of 9 cases compared to 2016. Localities have implemented dog management; information and propaganda on rabies prevention and control have been improved; investigation and monitoring work to promptly detect outbreaks in some districts such as Thanh Chuong, Do Luong, Nghia Dan, etc. has been well implemented.

PV:According to you, to proactively prevent and control rabies effectively, minimize the number of deaths, and provide annual rabies preventive treatment, what solutions need to be urgently promoted, both in the short term and in the long term?
Mr. Dang Van Minh:It must be reaffirmed that vaccination is the most important measure in rabies prevention and control. In order for vaccination to achieve high results, local Party committees and authorities must really get involved, continue to effectively implement the local rabies prevention and control plan at the end of 2021, and prioritize budget allocation for implementation. Organize a summary of the plan to control and eliminate rabies for the period 2018-2021 in the area, evaluate and analyze in detail the contents and results achieved; the contents that have not been done, the problems, shortcomings, difficulties, causes and solutions; propose specific contents and solutions for disease prevention and control for the upcoming period 2022-2030, and report to the Provincial People's Committee.
Focus on directing the organization of vaccination of dogs to reach 100% of the vaccination coverage according to regulations; regularly vaccinate dogs that are old enough to be vaccinated but have not been vaccinated, avoiding missing out on those who need to be vaccinated. Update changes in the dog population, sign commitments with new dog owners, continue to propagate compliance with keeping dogs on leashes, having someone lead them when going out, and muzzle them according to regulations.

Veterinary staff of Do Luong district vaccinate a resident's dogs. Photo: Phu Huong

Organize training on rabies prevention and control techniques, dog catching skills for vaccination and investigation and handling of outbreaks for the team in charge of veterinary animal husbandry at the grassroots level, and the commune-level dog catching team. At the same time, update information on the number of people who have to undergo rabies preventive treatment due to dog bites to investigate animal epidemics, take samples for testing of suspected cases of rabies in dogs, report and handle outbreaks at the facility promptly.