Health Ministry prioritises dog culling, halts rabies vaccination, sterilisation programmes

Colombo, June 11 (Daily Mirror) - The Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC) has raised concerns over the Health Ministry’s approach to controlling the spread of rabies in the country, alleging that the Ministry is steering the government towards culling dogs instead of entrusting the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH) to manage both the rabies vaccination and sterilisation programmes.

Addressing the media, AWC Executive Committee Member Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara claimed that the longstanding programme had been suspended following the intervention of a senior official at the Health Ministry.

"Through considerable effort, this official misled the Health Minister into withholding the rabies eradication programme from DAPH. This could eventually pave the way for dog culling in the country again," Dr. Nanayakkara said.

He noted that the AWC had successfully conducted pilot programmes in every district to implement both rabies vaccination and sterilisation initiatives. 

"Based on the data we gathered through these pilot projects, the government can gain a clear understanding of how to effectively implement a national rabies eradication programme," he added.

However, Deputy Health Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni told Parliament on May 22 that the substantial funds spent on the national rabies control programme had failed to produce sustainable results or progress, labelling it a "colossal waste of money."

In response, Dr. Nanayakkara pointed out that only half of the Rs. 200 million budget allocated for dog sterilisation in 2024 had been utilised. 

"Although a similar budget has been approved for 2025, not a single cent has been used for sterilisation activities so far," he claimed.

Animal welfare groups continue to advocate for a humane, science-based rabies eradication strategy, cautioning that abandoning vaccination and sterilisation efforts could reverse hard-earned progress in controlling the disease, he said.