Report of the workshop
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Dr Gyanendra Gongal gave the vote of thanks and Dr Sarath Amunugama delivered the concluding remarks to end the closing session.
A field visit was organized by the Public Health Veterinary Services, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka. It was attended by 30 participants. They were
able to comprehend different organizational and managerial aspects of dog vaccination, animal birth control and community participation during the
field visit.
10. Conclusion
This meeting was attended by seven countries of the SAARC Region, development partners and international organizations WHO, OIE, FAO,
SAARC Secretariat, Global Alliance for Rabies Control, Humane Society International, World Animal Protection and Vets Beyond Borders.
The following key points were noted by participants of the workshop:
Rabies is a priority zoonotic disease in the Region.
Rabies elimination is a regional public good.
Rabies elimination requires a focus on three successive rounds of mass dog vaccination covering at least 70 of the total dog
population within a short time using high-quality, dog rabies vaccine that confers long-lasting immunity.
Post-exposure prophylaxis remains important while rabies
continues to be endemic; although PEP alone is less effective in rabies control when compared with mass dog vaccination.
Rabies is inextricably linked to poverty and it is important to
ensure that post-exposure prophylaxis is available free of cost or at subsidized cost to all in an equitable manner.
The rabies elimination programme serves as a model for
operationalization of the “One Health” approach in rabies- endemic countries.
A number of Member countries in the Region are making good
progress to eliminate rabies via their current control and prevention activities.
Prevention and Control of Rabies in SAARC Countries
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Development partners, international organizations, civil societies
and communities remain a key player in rabies elimination strategies.
Most Member countries do not have adequate legislation that
addresses rabies. Introducing legislation takes time.
The meeting also noted that progress can be made in the absence of legislation. Lack of legislation should not be used to
justify not making progress.
11. Recommendations
11.1 Recommendations to SAARC Member countries
The recommendations to SAARC Member countries included: 1
All SAARC Member countries establish and maintain functional multisectoral steering or coordination committees at the national
and subnational levels dealing with rabies controlelimination. 2
Member countries should have a national strategy for rabies elimination following the step-wise approach. This approach
should be used as a framework to assist Member countries to develop their respective roadmaps with detailed outputs that
support the overall goal of rabies elimination.
3 Rabies surveillance can be improved by:
- making human and animal rabies cases notifiable if it is not already;
- improving the reporting capacity through intersectoral coordination, real-time data reporting and strengthening the
diagnostic capacity; and - strengthening laboratory and epidemiology linkages.
4 Member countries should strengthen animal health services with
adequate, appropriately trained personnel, funding, resources and capacity to deal with rabies controlelimination as a priority
zoonotic disease.
