Rabies control: AWC urges Health Minister to rethink strategy

While writing to the Health Minister, the Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC) questioned why the rabies eradication programme is being placed under the Health Ministry when the government has experienced veterinary doctors in the Veterinary Department.

It is suspicious that, although the rabies eradication programme was handed over for six months in 2017, it was later taken over by the Health Ministry, seemingly benefiting certain officials, the AWC said. 

Even though two million anti-rabies vaccines are required annually for herd immunity, only 1.15 million were provided in 2024.

In 2024, Rs. 200 million was approved for the sterilisation programme to control the dog population, but only Rs. 100 million was utilised.

In the letter, the AWC claimed that a senior official from the Health Ministry attempted to halt animal welfare programmes in 2024.

"We have a reasonable doubt that, despite the presence of a dedicated public veterinary unit within the Health Ministry—comprising experts in rabies eradication—their input has been ignored, rendering the unit inactive. Instead, a few individuals have implemented ineffective plans that have hindered efforts to eliminate rabies in recent years," the letter stated further.

The letter also highlighted that much of the information provided by officials was inaccurate.

"The Minister recently claimed in Parliament that 184,926 people received treatment for animal bites in 2024. While this is true, the AWC had already informed them that 90% of these cases involved domesticated animals.

"Despite the Health Ministry’s longstanding commitment to rabies eradication, it has failed to effectively prevent or manage bites from domestic animals, which account for the vast majority of cases.

"Considering these factors, we, as an association, believe that all measures taken by the Health Ministry to eradicate rabies have failed.

"Therefore, the AWC urges the Minister to transfer responsibility for the rabies eradication programme to the Department of Animal Production and Health."