Team Herald
PANJIM: Mission Rabies, the charity group that provides veterinary services worldwide, announced that Goa is the first State in India to be notified as a Rabies Controlled State’.
“With no human rabies deaths in the last three years, Goa has achieved a landmark status, by being the first Indian State to receive such an accolade and beating a disease that has resulted in the death of 17 people in Goa during 2014 when the Mission Rabies project started,” said Dr Murugan Appupillai, Director of Mission Rabies in a statement issued on Tuesday.
While the Director of Animal Husbandry will provide more details on Wednesday, Dr Murugan called it a celebration. He further appealed for help from the public and tourists to maintain this status by continuing the vaccinations of dogs and creating awareness on the awareness of dog bites, management of dog bites and removal of the fear of dog bites. He referred to the Rabies Controlled Area (for the State of Goa) notification and how it will continue to save lives.
“It shall also improve animal welfare, reduce fear of dogs within Goa and promote national and international tourism,” Dr Murugan added.
“The risk of canine rabies has decreased dramatically in Goa since the Government of Goa initiated State-wide mass dog vaccination through partnership with Mission Rabies from 2015 onwards. This was out of hard work for the last 7 years by doing over 5,00,000 vaccinations and educating over 9,00,000 children in Goa,” said Dr Murugan. State-wide rabies control by the State government has been the result of a global collaborative effort.
