Ministries provide free vaccinations on World Rabies Day

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Health and representatives of United Nations agencies gathered last week to vaccinate pets against rabies, to mark World Rabies Day which falls on September 28.
The vaccinations, under the theme of this year’s global event “Rabies: Vaccinate to Eliminate”, were administered at Chao Fa Ngum Park in Vientiane.
The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr Bounkhuang Khambounheuang, Deputy Minister of Health, Associate

Prof. Dr Phouthone Muongpak, FAO Representative to Laos Mr Nasar Hayat, WHO Representative to Laos Dr Mark Jacobs, officials, and pet owners.
People brought their pets to receive free rabies vaccinations and to learn about the prevention of rabies and life saving post bite treatment.
Dr Bounkhuang said that last year about 90,000 pets were vaccinated and in seven months of this year about 40,000 pets had been immunised against rabies.
Cases of rabies are reported in Laos every year. In the past three years cases were reported in Vientiane and the provinces of Xieng Khuang, Luang Prabang, Xayaboury, Xaysomboun, Borikhamxay, Savannakhet, Saravan, Xekong, Champassak and Attapeu.
“Today we will provide 2,000 doses of rabies vaccine,” Dr Bounkhuang said.
Dr Jacobs said “Between 2012 and 2019, 29 people in Laos died after being bitten by dogs. Many of them were children. They died of rabies, which is caused by a virus that mostly infects animals but which can infect humans.”
Advice given on the day warned people to be careful around dogs, especially those you don’t know, so that you don’t get bitten. If you do get bitten by a dog, wash and disinfect the wound then go immediately to the nearest health centre or hospital to get treatment.
If you are a dog owner, you should get your dog vaccinated against rabies. This protects your dog, your family and everyone in your community.
World Rabies Day gives visibility to antirabies initiatives in countries across the world. It raises awareness of the disease and how to prevent it. In particular it highlights the need to vaccinate dogs to prevent the disease, and life-saving post-bite treatment for people bitten by dogs.
The event also calls for pushing forward implementation of the global strategic plan to prevent human deaths from dog-transmitted rabies worldwide by 2030.
Laos is one of the Asean member states that adopted the Asean Rabies Elimination Strategy in 2015.

By Phomphong Laoin
(Latest Update September 30, 2019)