Last Updated on: December 18, 2024

BRIEF OF THE PROJECT

 

IMPLEMENTING A COMPREHENSIVE ONE HEALTH APPROACH TO ELIMINATE DOG-MEDIATED RABIES

DR HARISH TIWARI

Jyoti & Bhupat Mehta School of Health Science and Technology Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG)

Guwahati Assam India 781039

 

India records the highest number of dog-bite injuries worldwide, causing more than 20,000 human deaths and an enormous annual loss to the national economy due to rabies. Research indicates that rabies elimination in humans and dogs is possible by controlling the disease using the One Health approach. Although post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) prevents human deaths from a rabid dog bite, combating the disease in free-roaming dogs (FRD), where the disease is maintained, is the key to successful elimination. However, empirical proof towards the elimination of canine and human rabies in India, especially in Northeast India, is not available. This project aims to generate empirical evidence of freedom from canine rabies in randomly selected rural, suburban, and urban areas of northeast India by applying multiple rabies control interventions under the umbrella of One Health. Using the data obtained from the project, we will develop a comprehensive context-based rabies eradication plan for the rest of the country. Our previous work on dog-mediated rabies in rural and urban India demonstrated that rabies control in India is focused either on increased availability of human PEP or confined to sterilisation of FRD. The implementation of the interventions is sporadic, infrequent, fragmented in space, and lacks community involvement. Improper dog-bite wound management practices by paramedical staff at Public Health Centres (PHC) also contribute to the high rate of rabies incidence. Few rabies control campaigns consider the demography or the group behaviour of the FRD to plan an eradication strategy. The rabies elimination strategy in India warrants an approach where multiple intervention strategies, such as mass vaccination of 70% FRD to achieve herd immunity, dog population control, disease surveillance, and community awareness, are applied simultaneously under the umbrella of One Health. In response, we have developed an AI application for dog enumeration, which has been piloted at Udalguri. We will demonstrate that an integrated approach with intensive communication between the human and animal health sectors facilitates rabies control, makes it more cost-effective, and is essential for its elimination. Northeast India, especially Assam, presents an ideal area to launch experimental implementation of rabies elimination due to its location, lack of awareness, high incidents of human-wildlife/wildlife-free roaming dog conflict zones, and absence of data/research on the subject. On the positive aspect, motivating people and drawing out policies to make a rabies-free district will be easy. Nevertheless, we need multisectoral collaboration, aggressive campaigning, and active participation of various societal actors to make it possible. This project endeavours to use scientific methods and social engagement to attempt something tried only in a few places in the country. The project will run in collaboration with the University of Bern, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, the University of Glasgow, the University of Sydney, and the Ramaiah International Centre for Public Health Innovation, Bangalore.