In Southeast Asia, it is estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) that approximately 25,000 people die from rabies each year. WHO is working with Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Organization for Animal Health, and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control to reduce rabies infection in endemic countries.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation along with WHO have made differences in the Philippines, South Africa, and Tanzania. The current goal is to expand rabies control into new locations. One of the most successful approaches is to stockpile dog and human rabies vaccines. Several successful locations (elimination of rabies transmitted from dogs to people) include Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, and Uruguay.
Elimination campaigns are starting in Southeast Asia. Bangladesh started an elimination program in 2010 and in three years human rabies deaths decreased by 50%. The Bangladesh elimination program includes managing dog bites, dog vaccinations, and free rabies vaccines.
Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region, Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh said, “National strategies are needed for rabies elimination with the focus on increasing public awareness and making cost effective post-exposure vaccination available to all. Ensuring post-exposure rabies vaccination to all in an equitable manner should be a key element of rabies elimination efforts. Communities have an important role to play in rabies elimination. Simple but important measures such as vaccinating pet dogs and cats against rabies, thoroughly washing dog bite wounds with soap and water, and taking rabies vaccination when exposed to bite of a rabid or suspected animal, will strengthen rabies elimination efforts.” 1
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