National Rabies Control Programme

Background

Rabies is responsible for extensive morbidity and mortality in India. The disease is endemic throughout the country. With the exception of Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, human cases of rabies are reported from all over the country. The cases occur throughout the year. About 96% of the mortality and morbidity is associated with dog bites. Cats, wolf, jackal, mongoose and monkeys are other important reservoirs of rabies in India. Bat rabies has not been conclusively reported from the country.

To address the issue of rabies in the country, National Rabies Control Programme was approved during 12th FYP by Standing Finance Committee meeting held on 03.10.2013 as Central Sector Scheme to be implemented under the Umbrella of National Health Mission.

Objectives

• Training of Health Care professionals on appropriate Animal bite management and Rabies Post Exposure Prophylaxis.
• Advocacy for states to adopt and implement Interdermal route of Post exposure prophylaxis for Animal bite Victims and Pre exposure prophylaxis for high risk categories.
• Strengthen Human Rabies Surveillance System.
• Strengthening of Regional Laboratories under NRCP for Rabies Diagnosis.
• Creating awareness in the community through Advocacy & Communication and Social Mobilization.

Programme components

The Programme had two components – Human and Animal Components.

• Human  Component for roll out in the all States and UTs through nodal agency National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
• Animal Health Component for pilot testing in Haryana and Chennai  through nodal agency Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) under the aegis of MoEF&CC, GOI.

Animal Health Component by AWBI has been ended with effect from 31.3.2017. The Human Health Component has been rolled out in 26 States and UTs.

The Strategies of the National Rabies Control Program are as follows:

• provision of rabies vaccine & rabies immunoglobulin through national free drug initiatives
• training on appropriate animal bite management, prevention and control of rabies, surveillance and intersectoral coordination
• strengthening surveillance of animal bites and rabies deaths reporting
• creating awareness about rabies prevention

National Action Plan For Dog Mediated Rabies Elimination

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Ministry of Fisheries Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India jointly launched ‘National Action Plan For Dog Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE) from India by 2030’. The stray dog population control and management of the stray dogs is the mandate of the local bodies. The Central Government has framed the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2023 which is to be implemented by the local authority to control the population of stray dogs. The main focus of the rules is on anti-rabies vaccination of stray dogs and neutering of stray dogs as means of population stabilization.

To know more, click here.

Source : NCDC

Related resources

1. National Guidelines for Rabies Prophylaxis
2. Case definition for Rabies
3. Awareness material on Rabies
4. Related circularas of AWBI