Hyderabad: The Sindh Health Department held an awareness rally on Sunday to mark World Rabies Day and raise public awareness about the prevention of rabies and dog-bite incidents, with health officials, medical staff and other stakeholders participating in the event.
Speaking to the media, Deputy Director General Health Services Sindh Dr Pervez Sheikh and Rabies Focal Person Dr Saeed Ahmed Jalbani stressed the importance of timely medical treatment, vaccination and public awareness in preventing rabies.
They said World Rabies Day was observed every year on Sept 28 in memory of French scientist Louis Pasteur, who developed the first vaccine against rabies.
According to health department officials, around 285,000 dog-bite cases were reported in Pakistan last year, while more than 140,000 cases had been reported during the first six months of the current year. Children constituted a significant proportion of dog-bite victims, they said, urging parents to keep children away from stray dogs and educate them about preventive measures.
The officials advised that in case of a dog bite, the wound should immediately be washed thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes. The victim should then be taken without delay to the nearest health facility for medical assessment and anti-rabies vaccination.
They said the Sindh government had more than 150,000 doses of anti-rabies vaccine available across the province. A total of 371 vaccination centres, 278 wound-washing and treatment centres, and 112 anti-rabies referral centres had been established, where anti-rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) was provided for severe wounds when required.
In Hyderabad, rabies prevention and treatment facilities are also available at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Qasimabad Hospital and Bhitai Hospital, the officials said.
They stressed that eliminating rabies required coordinated efforts by the health department, local government and municipal authorities, rescue services and other relevant institutions.
Under the theme ‘Stronger Together’, the authorities said joint efforts were aimed at achieving the target of zero rabies deaths by 2030.
They urged citizens not to rely on home remedies or delay treatment after a dog bite, stressing that immediate wound washing and timely vaccination were crucial to preventing rabies.