Get your facts straight this World Rabies Day
Get your facts straight this World Rabies Day
Learn what rabies is, how serious and fatal it can be, and how to prevent it
To learn more about VAXIRAB, visit https://cpc.com.ph/product/vaxirab/.
Rabies is a very common viral disease that plagues over 150 countries all over the world, and has been labelled the ‘deadliest disease on Earth’ by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control.[1] Over 59,000 people around the world die from it each year,[2] and 95% of these cases come from Asia and Africa.
Rabies itself is easy to prevent thanks to the effective vaccines and immunoglobulins that exist. However, what makes the virus difficult to eradicate is the poor implementation of vaccination programs, and the rampant misinformation about how rabies is contracted and spread.
That is why, for this World Rabies Day (WRD) 2021, doctors, medical experts, and world leaders are not just hoping to raise awareness of the goal to eliminate rabies by 2030, but also equip individuals with the right information about rabies and its prevention, with the theme, “Rabies: Facts, not Fear”.
The Philippines is one of the countries with the highest rabies-related mortality rate every year,[3] and ranks 6th worldwide in incidence of the disease.[4] This could be due to the low awareness of Filipinos regarding rabies transmission and prevention. Many Filipinos still believe that rabies is only caused by stray dog bites, when in fact, 88% of rabies infections in the country are caused by pet dogs, and 2% by cats.[5] Children ages 5 to 14 years old are frequent victims of the dreaded disease.[6]
Thus, it is important to highlight the necessary measures against rabies, both in humans and animals. To keep pets healthy and low-risk for rabies, pet owners must have their dog immunized with the rabies vaccine, as well as educate themselves on dog behavior and avoid situations and instances that can result in dog bites. For humans, the vaccine for pre- and post-exposure to the virus is the same, so it is better to vaccinate children as a preemptive measure in order to avoid incidences.6
Raising awareness through campaigns is helpful in informing individuals about what they can do to manage the incidence of rabies, but more than that, promoting safe human and animal vaccines is a big step towards preventing more deaths from this disease.
To learn more about rabies prevention and control, visit NMPC’s LEAP website. For more information about World Rabies Day 2021, log on to Global Alliance for Rabies Control.