World Rabies Day

By Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia

World Rabies Day, marked annually on 28 September, aims to raise awareness for action against this deadly but preventable disease. This year's theme, "Act Now: You, Me, Community", reminds us that eliminating rabies is a responsibility borne by each of us individually, and collectively as communities and societies.

Rabies is a major public health challenge in our South-East Asia Region, which-with an estimated 27,700 deaths annually-bears nearly half of the global burden. Tragically, most victims are children under 15, often from underserved communities with limited access to life-saving post-exposure prophylaxis and preventive care.

Member States reported over 13 million animal exposures in 2023, with more than 1 million people receiving post-exposure prophylaxis. Still, many deaths go unreported. Surveillance, access to vaccines, and public awareness must be strengthened.

The theme this year encourages each of us to take meaningful steps:

• You - vaccinate your pets, educate yourself and others, and promote wound washing and seeking care.
• Me - lead by example, support rabies elimination efforts, and inspire action.
• Community - organize vaccination drives, raise awareness, and strengthen local health systems.

Rabies is one of the 21 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) prioritized by WHO. In 2015, it became the first zoonotic NTD targeted for elimination as a public health problem, leading to the launch of the 'Zero by 30' strategy. This ambitious goal of ending human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030 requires a united, multisectoral "One Health" approach.

To accelerate action, the WHO South-East Asia Region established a Regional Technical Advisory Group in 2023, and continues to work with Quadripartite partners-WHO, WOAH, FAO, and UNEP-to support Member States in building One Health partnerships.

Our priorities include:

• Sustaining high-level advocacy and resource allocation
• Strengthening post-exposure prophylaxis, surveillance and laboratory capacity
• Enhancing dog vaccination and population management
• Promoting community engagement and education

It is important to remember that rabies is 100% preventable. Every life lost is a stark reminder of the urgency to act.

On World Rabies Day, join me in reaffirming our commitment to a rabies-free future. We must Act Now, for every child, every family, and every community