BENGALURU: With an aim to create awareness, a 15-day vaccination campaign has been launched across the state to prevent rabies, which is a deadly disease, Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu B Chavan said on Thursday.
He launched the free rabies vaccination campaign at Pashu Super Specialty Hospital, Queen’s Road in the city. “To create awareness for the eradication of rabies, World Rabies Day is celebrated on September 28 every year. A free vaccination campaign has been organized for 15 days to celebrate World Rabies Day in district and taluk centres,” said Chavan.
If a rabies-affected dog bites other animals or humans, the rabies virus enters the body and causes rabies. The Zollinim rabies virus from an infected animal can spread to other animals. Rabies is spread by dogs, cats, sheep, goats, cows, buffaloes, monkeys, wolves, foxes, bears, mongooses, pigs, donkeys, horses and camels. Vaccination is given to prevent rabies.
The minister also expressed concern that 30,000 people die every year due to this disease in the country. All Deputy Directors have been directed to implement the vaccination programme in collaboration with each Gram Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat, Municipality and Municipal Council.
Prabhu Chavan informed that the vaccination programme is being promoted across the state. “It is estimated that there are 13 lakh dogs in the state and a target of vaccinating 50 per cent of the dogs in all the districts has been set. Every dog in Bengaluru city should be vaccinated. There are two types of rabies symptoms in dogs — intense insanity and dull insanity. You all should cooperate to prevent rabies,” he added.
He also appealed to the public to vaccinate dogs against rabies. He instructed the officers and veterinarians of BBMP Veterinary Department to create awareness among the public to go door-to-door and compulsorily vaccinate their pet dogs against rabies.
On the occasion, Prabhu Chavan, who planted a sapling in the hospital premises and watered it, lit the torch for the Lasik Abhiyan programme and released a vaccination registration card. Department Director Dr Manjunath Palegar, Deputy Director Dr Prasad Murthy, Rabies expert Dr Srikrishna Islur, BBMP Veterinary Department Deputy Director Dr Ravi, Super Specialty Hospital Deputy Director Dr Parameshwar and others were present. (ANI)