The rabies problem in Delhi, India

There are a number of fatal diseases that are easily transmittable from canine to human. Rabies is the most well known of these diseases. According to current estimate (prepared by WHO) 50,000 human deaths are caused by rabies each year on a global basis, 90% of these in Asia. India and Bangladesh have the highest incidence of rabies in the South East Asian Region. It is estimated that there are approximately 18,000 human rabies deaths in India per year (WHO Report 2004).

There are also non-fatal diseases that pass from dogs to humans such as tapeworm, mange and ringworm. Children are at particular risk as they tend to be more in frequent contact with the dogs.

Animal India Trust believes there is a direct correlation between the number of free roaming dogs and the number of rabies cases.  Increases in the number of dogs living on or freely roaming the streets of New Delhi definitely equates to increased cases of rabies. New Delhi's free roaming dog population and rabies are inseparable issues. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to insure both parts of the equation are taken into consideration while doing our type of work.

Animal India Trust's Anti-Rabies Vaccination Programme

Animal India Trust runs an Anti-Rabies Vaccination Programme alongside the Animal Birth Control Programme. Dogs which are captured for sterilisation are vaccinated against Rabies at the same time.

The area wise approach is effective for rabies control as well as population control in that once 70% of a given population is vaccinated and that population is stable, then rabies is unlikely to enter or be able to spread amongst the area's population.

The Anti-Rabies Vaccination programme will protect the dogs from contracting rabies and thus reduce the risk of this disease being transmitted to the people of Delhi. As dogs are naturally territorial, there is very little chance that infected or uninfected dogs from outside Delhi would be able to enter this area and so we can envisage real benefits on a local level for both dogs and people.

The Benefits of the Anti-Rabies Vaccination Programme

Public health related problems such as rabies, as well as other zoonotic diseases, will also reduce tremendously as there is less chance of vaccinated dogs suffering from these diseases, therefore less dogs able to transmit the diseases to humans. This will lead to reduction in risk of human death due to these diseases as well as reduced medical expenses.  An additional benefit is that if people are aware that animals on the street are receiving proper veterinary supervision, including vaccinations,  this should increase people’s confidence in sharing the city with street animals and make it more likely that they will treat them kindly and be willing to help if an animal is injured or ill. This increases the quality of life of the street animals.