Anti-rabies drive kicks off in Shimla

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri flagged off the Mega Anti-Rabies Dog Vaccination drive in Shimla. Around 4,000 dogs in all the wards of Shimla will be vaccinated against rabies during the drive that will continue till August 29. He flagged off the vehicles during the district-level Independence Day celebrations that were held at the historic Ridge in the state’s capital.

The drive is being conducted by the Shimla Municipal Corporation, in collaboration with of Humane People NGO, Rampur, Mission Rabies and the Department of Animal Husbandry, Himachal Pradesh. Under this drive, specially trained teams are being deployed across the town to carry out the anti-rabies vacinnation drive.

“For the first time, Mission Rabies, an internationally recognised organisation working in more than 18 countries has begun its operations in the state. The campaign is being carried out under the Mass Dog Vaccination (MDV) strategy, the only scientifically proven method to control and eliminate dog-mediated human rabies, as endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Vaccinating at least 70 per cent of the dog population can effectively break the chain of rabies transmission, protecting both humans and animals,” he said.

He also extended his best wishes to the teams and said the initiative reflects the state government’s commitment to achieving a ‘rabies-free Himachal Pradesh’, while also contributing to India’s pledge to meet the global ‘Zero by 30’ target, thus eliminating dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030.

“This initiative is not only a significant step towards rabies control but also a symbol of animal welfare and humanitarian values,” added the Deputy CM.

Stray dog menace is one of the biggest problems that is being faced by the people of Shimla. As per the records of Deen Dayal Upadhayay Zonal Hospital, Shimla, as many as 817 dog bites cases have been reported in the town during the first six months of the year, highlighting a major concern. Also, stray dogs can be seen in packs at various key locations of the town, including The Mall, The Ridge, Sanjauli, Chotta Shimla, etc who often bite, chase or attack the pedestrains. As a result, people face huge inconveniences while commuting throght the markets as well as the streets of the town.