'Over 55,000 people in Africa, Asia die from rabies yearly'

Punjab Minister for Population Welfare, Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry, has said that rabies in humans is 100 percent preventable through prompt appropriate medical care. However, more than 55,000 people, mostly in Africa and Asia, die from rabies every year - a rate of one person every ten minutes. The most important global source of rabies in humans is from uncontrolled rabies in dogs. Children are often at greatest risk from rabies, she added.
While talking to delegations of doctors, paramedics, teachers and members of NGOs, Neelam said this major source of rabies in humans can be eliminated through ensuring adequate animal vaccination and control, educating those at risk and enhancing access of those bitten to appropriate medical care.
She further said that government is attaching top priority for the provision of state-of-the-art healthcare and educational facilities to the masses at their doorsteps, whereas, huge resources have been provided to these sectors hospitals besides, exemplary incentives have also been offered to the medical community as well as teachers. She said that focus of the government is upon primary and preventable diseases.
She also emphasised the need for launching public awareness campaign regarding communicable and non-communicable diseases and rabies. She said that more research facilities would be provided to the medical community because there is need to establish research centres in public sectors for the treatment of preventable diseases like rabies and other linked disorders.
Moreover, the Punjab Minister for Population Welfare, Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry will preside over a seminar on "Role of Intellectuals and Media in Family Planning" on 22nd October at a local hotel. Javed Dhiloon Parliamentary Secretary and Syed Tahir Raza Naqvi Provincial Secretary Population Welfare will be the guest of honours.
The seminar will also be addressed by Provincial Co-ordinator UNFPA, Dr Jamil Chaudhry, columnists and intellectuals, Manoo Bhi, Ata-ul Haq Qasmi, Hassan Nisar, Dr Arifa Syeda, Dr Mehdi Hassan, Dr Saeed Elahi MPA, vice-chancellor Punjab University, Dr Mujahid Kamran, Professor Javed Akram, Dr Muhammad Hafeez, Dr Mughees Uddin, Dr Muhammad Ehsan Malik, Dr Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal, Dr Qayyum Mirza and others.