ID :
210230
Thu, 09/29/2011 - 12:09
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/210230
The shortlink copeid
SRI LANKA SPENDS US$4 MLN A YEAR TO CURB RABIES
P.Vijian
NEW DELHI, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Sri Lanka spends nearly US$4.4 million yearly to control rabies, including nearly US$940,000 spent on sterilisation of dogs, a primary cause for nearly dozens of deaths on the island.
Sri Lanka has about three million dogs and daily some 2,000 dog bites are reported nationwide, said the Colombo-based Daily News, the national newspaper.
"Our mission is to vaccinate all dogs to eradicate rabies in Sri Lanka by the year 2016. It is noteworthy that the key element for rabies in humans is uncontrolled rabies in dogs," said Dr P.L Harischandra, director of Veterinary Public Health Services.
He said the government spends Rs 350 million (US$1 = Rs 110.11) for treating 250,000 rabies patients yearly, Rs 25 million to vaccinate one million dogs and Rs 100 million for birth control of dogs.
Sri Lanka, with 20 million people, is one of the world's leading countries that suffer high death rates caused by dog rabies and animal bites.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said nearly 1.4 billion people living in South Asia are at potential risk for rabies due to large human and dog concentrations in congested habitable areas.
"Children aged 5-15 years represent 40 per cent of people exposed to
dog-bites in rabies-endemic areas," said WHO in a statement.
"The South Asia region has more deaths due to rabies than any other part of the world," added the statement released in conjunction with World Rabies Day on Wednesday.
NEW DELHI, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Sri Lanka spends nearly US$4.4 million yearly to control rabies, including nearly US$940,000 spent on sterilisation of dogs, a primary cause for nearly dozens of deaths on the island.
Sri Lanka has about three million dogs and daily some 2,000 dog bites are reported nationwide, said the Colombo-based Daily News, the national newspaper.
"Our mission is to vaccinate all dogs to eradicate rabies in Sri Lanka by the year 2016. It is noteworthy that the key element for rabies in humans is uncontrolled rabies in dogs," said Dr P.L Harischandra, director of Veterinary Public Health Services.
He said the government spends Rs 350 million (US$1 = Rs 110.11) for treating 250,000 rabies patients yearly, Rs 25 million to vaccinate one million dogs and Rs 100 million for birth control of dogs.
Sri Lanka, with 20 million people, is one of the world's leading countries that suffer high death rates caused by dog rabies and animal bites.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said nearly 1.4 billion people living in South Asia are at potential risk for rabies due to large human and dog concentrations in congested habitable areas.
"Children aged 5-15 years represent 40 per cent of people exposed to
dog-bites in rabies-endemic areas," said WHO in a statement.
"The South Asia region has more deaths due to rabies than any other part of the world," added the statement released in conjunction with World Rabies Day on Wednesday.
