September 28 is celebrated as World Rabies Day each year. This year, the theme is ‘Rabies: Vaccinate to Eliminate‘.
Key Messages:
Vaccinating your dogs regularly will keep them and your family safe from #rabies
You should always seek medical help/advice if bitten by a dog
Pet dogs and cats can get #rabies too, not just strays. Make sure they’re vaccinated to keep them safe
Dogs do not have #rabies when they are born
Apart from proper food, water, exercise and shelter, you need to vaccinate your dogs against #rabies to be a responsible pet owner
You can teach your community how to prevent #rabies
You can prevent dog bites by learning how to behave around dogs
You should never disturb dogs who are sleeping, eating or taking care of puppies
The best way of preventing #rabies in humans is vaccinating your dog & keeping the vaccinations up to date
A 70% vaccination coverage in dog populations can prevent #rabies from spreading to humans
If you’re bitten by a dog you should wash the wound with soap & running water for 15 minutes then seek medical advice
95% of #rabies deaths happen in Africa & Asia
The global #rabies prevention community is working to end deaths by 2030
Garlic can’t cure rabies
#rabies still kills around 59,000 people every year despite it being 100% preventable
Canine #rabies is one of the world’s oldest diseases & one of the most deadly
Preventative measures save nearly 3 million lives annually. These include canine vaccines & post-exposure human vaccines
Mass dog vaccination programmes have reduced #rabies by 90% in Latin America
Useful Links:
Link to the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) web page on World Rabies Day 2019:
https://rabiesalliance.org/world-rabies-day
Link to GARC Frequently Asked Questions about Rabies web page:
https://rabiesalliance.org/resources/faqs
Link to Zero by 30: The Global Strategic Plan to end human deaths from dog mediated rabies by 2030 (English) [PDF]:
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