Kohima, September 28 (DIPR): The State Animal Welfare Advisory Board (SAWAB), Nagaland Municipal Council (NMC), and Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services observed the 10th World Rabies Day on September 28 at Zonal Council Hall, Kohima with the theme ‘Educate, Vaccinate, Eliminate.’ Chairperson of SAWAB-N & Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, S. Chuba Longkumer was the chief guest. In his keynote address, Member Secretary, SAWAB and Director, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, Dr. IP Khala informed that Nagaland is yet to reach 70% of elimination of rabies virus. Lack of coordination among organizations, limited funding, inadequate planning, and lack of general awareness etc. have been major obstacles in solving rabies problem, he added. He also pointed out that more than 55,000 people around the world die every year due to rabies virus and India holds a record of 33,000 deaths per year. Nagaland state, with the help of SAWAB, Kohima Municipal Council, and Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, is trying its level best to eliminate rabies, he stated.
Senior Specialist, Naga Hospital Authority, Kohima, Dr. Pewezo Khalo gave a talk on the status of rabies in Nagaland, where he mentioned that rabies is a zoonotic disease that is always fatal. He said that Nagaland still lacks proper documentation on deaths caused by rabies. Nagaland Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) was launched in 2016.
Khalo further explained the strategies for control and eradication of rabies. He said that mandatory registration and vaccination of all domestic pets is necessary and that there should be legislation on control of trade of dogs. All villages and towns should have a formation of Animal Welfare Committee, he stated, adding establishment of common animal cemetery would also play a vital role in rabies issue.
Maintaining that public awareness and health education is compulsory, he said if the State government could help in making a proposal for developing a State Rabies Diagnostic Laboratory for proper documentation of rabies cases, it would be a vital strategy in maintaining the spread of the virus since rabies cannot be properly diagnosed without a lab. He also said that the State government should ask the Government of India for a human component of Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) since most of the people who get bitten are usually poor and are unable to pay for such vaccines.
Joint Director AH&VS, Dr. Simon Ao said that future collaboration between the organizations and the public is necessary and that they should introduce formation of a certain committee to create awareness programmes.
