Fear of rabies: Science-based measures needed to control the disease

In Bangladesh, rabies has recently been transformed into a form of panic. People from the capital to the villages are being attacked by dogs and cats everywhere.

Somewhere there is a shortage of vaccines; somewhere there is a delay in getting treatment, somewhere there is mismanagement.

The recent death of five people due to rabies in Gaibandha has made this crisis even clearer.

More than a thousand people are flocking to the infectious diseases hospital every day to get vaccinated.

Rabies is a disease that is almost certain to cause death if symptoms appear.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 59,000 people die from this disease every year in the world; most of whom are among the poor people of Asia and Africa.

Bangladesh is also included in that risk area.

Therefore, there is no room for neglecting this crisis; but is the solution to this only by killing dogs?

Absolutely not! Rather, it could be the beginning of a more terrible and inhumane social trend.

However, the vaccination programme for stray dogs has been suspended since 2022, and the birth control system has also come to a standstill.

We are already seeing calls for the culling of stray dogs in some places under the pretext of ‘fear of rabies’.

However, experts have been saying for a long time that birth control and regular vaccination of dogs are the effective ways to control rabies.

And the ‘catch-neuter-vaccine-release’ method has been successfully implemented in various countries of the world.

That is, capturing dogs, sterilizing them, vaccinating them, and returning them to the area.

This keeps the number of dogs under control, and reduces the risk of rabies.

The WHO also says that rabies can be effectively controlled if at least 70 percent of dogs can be vaccinated.

Therefore, it will be the responsibility of the government to restart the suspended vaccination program and implement a nationwide birth control programme.

Many countries in Europe and the developed world have strict policies for keeping animals.

Germany has a ‘dog tax’; Singapore requires licenses and microchips.

In many countries, keeping animals is not allowed without proof of rabies vaccination.

The European Union has recently taken the initiative to impose stricter laws and restrictions to prevent cruelty to animals. We also need to realize this truth.

Rabies is certainly scary; but legitimizing cruelty based on fear is even scarier.

We need science-based public health policies, responsible civic behaviour, and a compassionate approach to animals.