Plans afoot for mass vaccination of dogs

Three institutions in the city are working on a proposal for mass vaccination of dogs to control rabies in animals and humans. Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (KVAFSU) Veterinary College in Hebbal, along with the Department of Community Medicine, KIMS, and Department of Neurovirology, Nimhans, is busy chalking out a plan for mass vaccination, licensing and adoption of dogs.

Dr Shrikrishna Isloor from the KVAFSU-CVA-Crucell Rabies Diagnostic Laboratory at the Veterinary College said that ‘World Rabies Day’ will be observed at the Hebbal campus on Wednesday where preventive vaccination will be conducted for the health workers who are constantly exposed to the animals during treatment.

“There are plans of collaborating with the BBMP to spread awareness on the deadly disease and standardise the standard operating procedure (SOP) to combat rabies,” he added.

Dr D H Ashwathnarayan, Head of Department of Community Medicine at KIMS, said that they were planning for a mass vaccination of dogs and also to submit a proposal to the Centre to procure vaccines from Office International des Epizooties (OIE) which is the World Organisation for Animal Health. 

“On September 28, a rally will be taken out from KIMS about awareness on dog bite and rabies. A team of doctors will visit Haveri, from where three human deaths and two animal deaths due to rabies had been reported,” he said.

Dr Reeta Mani, Assistant Professor, Neurovirology, Nimhans, said that Nimhans is the centre for testing for rabies among human beings. It will mainly conduct the surveillance part of the proposed project, she added.