World Rabies Day is an annual global observance held on September 28 to raise awareness about rabies and promote efforts to eliminate the disease. It is an initiative of the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) and other organizations dedicated to preventing and controlling rabies.
This year’s World Rabies Day theme is “All for 1, One Health for all”.
What is Rabies?
Rabies is a viral disease that affects mammals, including humans. It is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but it is also entirely preventable through vaccination and other control measures.
Rabies is a disease with a fatality rate of 100%.Endemic on several continents, it is estimated that every year around 60,000 people in the world die from it, 40% of them children.
The vast majority of rabies cases in humans are the result of dog bites, which makes controlling rabies in the canine population an essential part of preventing human cases.
Significance
The day also honours the memory of the French scientist named Louis Pasteur, who passed away on September 28, 1895. Pasteur created the vaccine to prevent rabies, a deadly disease. His work in science and health has saved many lives, and we continue to benefit from his discoveries and contributions.
Objective
The main objectives of World Rabies Day include raising awareness, promoting vaccination, advocating for control measures, and commemorating achievements.
World Rabies Day serves as a reminder that rabies remains a public health threat in many parts of the world and encourages continued efforts to combat the disease and protect both animals and humans from its deadly effects.
