Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2015-11-18

Procurement of 450,000 Doses of Rabies Vaccine for Field Programmes in 2015-2016

- Rabies is a 100% fatal but yet a preventable disease. According to the statistics of World Health Organization (WHO), Rabies kills over 55,000 people annually around the world and over 95% of the deaths occur as a result of the bites of Rabies infected dogs. According to WHO, Rabies can be eliminated within a short period as three (03) months, if 70% of the dog population is vaccinated. The Department of Animal Production and Health has decided to launch a programme with the aim of eliminating dog-mediated Rabies in the country by the year 2020. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. P. Harison, the Minister of Rural Economy, to procure 450,000 doses of high quality rabies vaccine for that programme, was approved by the Cabinet.