The recent massacre of dogs in Bangalore has highlighted the issue of rabies in India. An acute central nervous system infection, rabies is characterised by central nervous irritation, aerophobia, hydrophobia, followed by paralysis and death. It is one of the most horrific deaths imaginable. The virus is found in the salivary glands and central nervous systems of infected, warm-blooded animals, including humans. The disease is caused by the bite of a rabies-infected animal or by exposure to the saliva of a rabid animal. It is one of the world’s oldest diseases.

For years, India has ranked highest in world rabies deaths. According to the 2004 ‘Final Report of the WHO-sponsored National Multi-centric Rabies Survey 2003’, there are over 20,000 reported deaths in India annually. This study was conducted with the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), Central Research Institute, and several other august institutions. Some 20,000 human rabies deaths per year translates roughly to one death every half an hour. It is widely believed, however, that the number of unreported deaths is much higher. This is nothing short of shameful, given that rabies deaths can be prevented.

There are two recognised ways of preventing rabies. One is by the implementation of animal birth control and the other is through anti-rabies programmes. The humane killing of an infected animal would certainly be part of an anti-rabies programme. But the indiscriminate killing of stray dogs would be the worst and cruellest way of addressing the issue. India has more that 25 million stray dogs. Are we to exterminate all of them to rid ourselves of rabies? Besides, apart from rodents, rabbits and hares, most animals, including bats, can be carriers. So where should one draw the line? Global experience shows that killing a dog population does not reduce rabies deaths, but animal sterilisation does. In India, of the 25 million stray dogs, only an estimated 70,000 are sterilised and vaccinated annually. The government must run a more comprehensive programme.

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