Central Highlands has the highest mortality rates of rabies

The fatality rate from rabies remains high

On March 22, the Department of Animal Health (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) held a training course on rabies monitoring in Gia Lai province.

According to a Department of Animal Health report, there have been 27 rabies fatalities in 16 provinces and cities since the beginning of 2024, up 15 instances over the same time in 2023. From 2013 to the present, there have been 887 rabies fatalities countrywide.

Furthermore, 51 outbreaks have occurred in 23 provinces and cities around the nation since the beginning of the year, necessitating the euthanasia of 186 dogs and cats. There are 24 rabies outbreaks in animals in 15 provinces and towns that have not lasted 21 days. Meanwhile, the country's overall dog and cat population exceeds 7 million, although vaccination rates have only reached around 54%.

In recent years, the Central Highlands provinces have consistently had the highest rabies fatality rate in the nation. There have been 110 rabies-related fatalities in the Central Highlands provinces since 2015.

The reason is due to a poor rate of vaccination of pet animals against rabies in the Central Highlands provinces; some recent rabies outbreaks did not follow epidemiological regulations; and the illness not only occurs during the hot season but also in the winter months.

In 2023, Gia Lai province recorded the most rabies fatalities in the nation, with 14 cases. In the first three months of 2024, Gia Lai saw two more fatalities in the districts of chu Se and Duc Co. The dead patients were not treated with prophylaxis as recommended by health officials.

Mr. Thai Van Dung, Deputy Head of Gia Lai province's Department of Livestock and Animal Health, said that the province has a big population of dogs and cats, totaling over 210,000, yet the majority of them wander freely.

Meanwhile, funding for rabies preventive and control efforts, as well as infrastructure and pre-exposure treatment equipment for people, has not been secured. For example, practically all districts do not have vaccination stations or rabies immune serum for treatment.

Not to add that pet owners are unconcerned about vaccinating their pets against rabies, resulting in an extremely low vaccination rate of around 19% of the overall population. People's understanding of the dangers of rabies is inadequate.

To prevent and control rabies in the future, Mr. Dung thinks that the whole political system must be mobilized, including modifying and strengthening communication efforts regarding rabies' hazards and preventative and control measures.

Local governments, in particular, must effectively control dog and cat populations and devote finances to execute rabies vaccine on pets, assuring a vaccination rate of at least 70%.

Increased responsibility in rabies prevention and control

Mr. Nguyen Van Long, Director of the Department of Animal Health, indicated that the rabies situation has become very difficult in recent years, resulting in several fatalities. Vietnam is also one of the nations having a high rate of rabies-related deaths. Domestic dogs also cause a significant number of deaths.

Mr. Long said that, although several documentation have been provided for rabies prevention and control, there has been a lack of oversight and execution. Regulations are often poorly understood and applied, particularly at the district level.

Meanwhile, plans for rabies prevention and control are hazy and out of sync with reality and time. Local governments should bear responsibility for rabies prevention and control, not the general public. Only these authorities have a true understanding of the local realities and problems in properly disseminating information regarding rabies preventive and control programs.

To combat rabies, communication organizations and the media must play an important role.

Regarding dog control, Mr. Long stressed that the government has explicitly stated that if dogs are retained, they must be contained, and if they go outside, they must be muzzled or face a fine. Managing dog populations is critical to properly preventing rabies.

Vaccination against rabies in communities is still delayed. The epidemic season is presently at its height, but vaccinations have not been carried out, and many communities have yet to accept preparations. Even when the proposal is approved, it will not be until June 2024, when there will be many more fatalities and hundreds of thousands of people attacked by dogs and cats.

According to Mr. Long, many individuals are now afflicted with rabies, and although the Department of Animal Health has given free testing throughout the country, few communities are interested in implementing it.

"As a result, I expect that veterinary and preventive medical professionals in areas would take greater responsibility and act more decisively to successfully manage dog populations and rabies in the region. "My greatest hope for the future is that no one will die from rabies," Mr. Long said.