The first annual World Rabies Day will be held on the 8th September 2007. The goal of World Rabies Day is to raise global awareness about the impact of human and animal rabies, how easy it is to prevent, and how to eliminate the human disease by combating it in animals.
It is estimated that 55 000 people die every year from rabies, an average of one death every 10 minutes. In addition, 10 million people receive rabies vaccinations in Asia and Africa following bites from dogs which might have rabies. Once a person is bitten by an animal suspected to be rabid, rabies vaccines must be administered to prevent rabies. These vaccines are safe and effective, but to date they have been underutilised in developing countries due to the high cost.
World Rabies Day is an initiative of a charity named Alliance for Rabies Control (ARC) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. The WHO is co-sponsoring the 2007 events, which will draw attention to the magnitude of the problem and the measures which developing countries can undertake. For more information you can visit: World Rabies Day.
