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The
mission of World Rabies Day is to raise awareness about the impact
of human and animal rabies, how easy it is to prevent it, and how to
eliminate the main global sources. Even though the major impact of
rabies occurs in regions of the world where many needs are present,
rabies should no longer be neglected. The tools and technology for
human rabies prevention and dog rabies elimination are available.
Through the World Rabies Day initiative, partners will be………
Working Together to Make Rabies History!TM
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Rabies
in humans is 100% preventable through prompt appropriate medical
care. Yet, more than 55,000 people, mostly in Africa and Asia, die
from rabies every year - a rate of one person every ten minutes.
The most important global source of rabies in humans is from
uncontrolled rabies in dogs. Children are often at greatest risk
from rabies. They are more likely to be bitten by dogs, and are also
more likely to be severely exposed through multiple bites in
high-risk sites on the body. Severe exposures make it more difficult
to prevent rabies unless access to good medical care is immediately
available. This major source of rabies in humans can be eliminated
through ensuring adequate animal vaccination and control, educating
those at risk, and enhancing access of those bitten to appropriate
medical care.
In
2006, a group of researchers and professionals formed a global
Alliance for Rabies Control. They created and began inviting
partners to join the World Rabies Day initiative. The inaugural
World Rabies Day initiative now involves human and animal health
partners at the international, national, state/provincial, and local
levels, veterinary, medical and other specialized professional and
student organizations, and corporate and non-profit partners. The
goal of this outreach is to mobilize awareness and resources in
support of human rabies prevention and animal rabies control. With
the initial goal of engaging 55,000 people to take action, one for
each person who dies each year from rabies, the inaugural campaign
on September 8, 2007 saw participation of nearly 400,000 individuals
from at least 74 countries! This overwhelming response was an
important step forward for rabies prevention and control and further
illustrates the widespread recognition of the need for action to
control this easily preventable disease. |
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