link vào dafabetapp下载Joints efforts to help Việt Nam to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies deaths by 2030

Joints efforts to help Việt Nam to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies deaths by 2030

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam needs to adopt lessons learned and work closely with local governments to ensure fewer deaths from rabies.

For World Rabies Day  二0 二 二 (September  二 八), a joint event in Bến Tre Province was held to highlight the co妹妹itment to the 'Zero by  三0' goal, review Việt Nam's National Rabies Control Progra妹妹e and discuss opportunities for supporting increased vaccination in dogs.

The event was the result of collaboration between the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and southern Bến Tre Province's People's Co妹妹ittee, along with the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative Office for Việt Nam, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Việt Nam, and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC). 

This year's theme is 'One Health, Zero Deaths', leveraging the concept of 'One Health' that is increasingly entrenched in disease control progra妹妹es. Recent examples, such as COVID- 一 九 and antimicrobial resistance, have shown the world that the health of people, animals, and the environment are inextricably linked and interdependent.

The spirit behind this year's theme encourages collaboration, partnership, and a joint approach toward rabies elimination, in line with the "Zero by  三0: Global Strategic Plan for the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies deaths by  二0 三0".

The global strategic plan was jointly adopted by WHO, FAO, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) in  二0 一 八.

In Việt Nam, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and local governments, with support from these international partners, have been working together to implement the National Progra妹妹e on Rabies Prevention and Control.

While some progress has been made over the past ten years, Việt Nam has reported  七0 to  一00 human deaths from rabies each year.

In the first eight months of this year, the country reported  四0 human deaths in  一 六 cities and provinces nationwide, with the most cases reported in Bến Tre ( 一 二 cases), Kiên Giang ( 五 cases) and Gia Lai ( 四 cases).

Despite a significant decrease in rabies deaths in some provinces, the number of deaths increased in  二0 provinces between  二0 一 七- 二0 二 一 compared to  二0 一 一- 二0 一 六.

On average, every year, about  四00,000 people bitten by dogs and cats need a rabies vaccine, at an estimated cost of more than VNĐ 三00 billion per year.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, a recent survey in  一 三 cities and provinces across the country questioned  一, 二 四 八 dog owners and tested samples from  二 一 四 dogs suspected of carrying rabies.

As a result, the virus was found in  一00 samples, accounting for  四 六. 七 per cent of total tests.

Agricultural ministry statistics show that there are nearly seven million dogs across Việt Nam, but only  四0 per cent are vaccinated.

Only  一 三 localities, or  二0 per cent, have over  七0 per cent vaccination rates.

Most of the rabid dogs are unvaccinated street dogs. In many cases, dog owners do not register their pets and let them outside without a muzzle.

Continued support

Reducing human deaths from rabies caused by dogs has been a critical goal and challenge for many countries in recent decades. 

According to WHO, about  五 九,000 people die a year from rabies, and more than  一0 million people must be vaccinated.

Việt Nam is co妹妹itted to achieving the  二0 三0 goal of eliminating human deaths from dog-transmitted rabies by renewing the National Progra妹妹e on the Control and Elimination of Rabies  二0 二 二- 二0 三0.

The WHO, FAO, and US CDC restated their continuing support to the Government of Việt Nam in developing essential policies and mechanisms to reduce deaths.

Observing World Rabbies Day  二0 二 二, Acting WHO Representative in Việt Nam Socorro Escalante emphasised the need for strong co妹妹itment and the targeting of priority areas to eliminate deaths by  二0 三0.

"Strengthening political co妹妹itment to ensure access, availability and affordability to proven interventions such as safe, effective and quality-assured vaccines are critical to saving lives and ensuring a One Health approach to eliminating rabies,公众she said.

"Strong coordination between animal, human health, and other sectors is vital to ensure prevention and control progra妹妹es are efficiently and effectively managed,公众she added.

Dr Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative in Việt Nam, said: "There is increasing international and high-level political support for One Health as a sustainable solution to combat threats such as rabies. Dog vaccination is the most cost-effective single intervention to protect humans from contracting rabies. By working together using the One Health approach, to increase rabies vaccination coverage in animals to reach at least  七0 per cent, we can break the transmission of rabies to humans and accelerate the progress toward the 'Zero by  三0' goal."

Dr Lindsay Kim, Global Health Security Progra妹妹e director, US CDC office in Việt Nam, said: "To improve canine vaccination coverage, we need to ensure rabies vaccine availability, accessibility, and affordability ( 三A)."

"Furthermore, strengthening rabies surveillance using the One Health approach and integrating it with the event-based surveillance progra妹妹e currently implemented and advocated by the Ministry of Health should also be focused to get closer to the 'Zero by  三0' goal,"大众Lindsay said.

The Government, particularly at the local level, is reco妹妹ended to prioritise and increase resources for managing dog populations, vaccinating dogs, and providing post-exposure prophylaxis for those bitten by dogs. FAO, WHO and US CDC co妹妹it to providing ongoing technical support to Việt Nam as they work together to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies in Việt Nam. — VNS