Rabies control programme launched

In an effort to strengthen national and provincial programs for dog-bite and rabies control, World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with provincial health department has launched a 'Rabies Control Programme' The main features of this programme are inter-sectoral collaboration between health department, L&DD, local governments and municipal authorities to control dog population especially stray dogs as they are the main source of dog bites.
The second area in which WHO will collaborate with these departments will be training of healthcare providers on management of dog bites that include trainings and provision of vaccines, a spokesman of WHO said. It is pertinent to mention here that WHO has secured funds worth US $50,000 for these interventions. The management and treatment of severe dog bite require a vaccine called "Rabies Immunoglobulins" which is very expensive and not available in Pakistan. WHO with the help of its partner UN agencies has secured procurement of this vaccine.