Over 2000 people die from rabies every year in the country, a very dangerous disease transmitted to humans by rabid animal bites, mostly dogs.
Children are more susceptible to the disease than the adults, say experts.
According to World Health Organisation, Rabies claims approximately 55,000 lives a year. The vast majority of deaths occur in Asia and Africa.
Talking to daily sun on Sunday Prof Be-Nazir Ahmed, director of Disease Control of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said two to three lakh people are infected by the bite of rabid animals every year causing over 2000 deaths, mostly children under 15.
The health official said there are about 30 to 40 lakh dogs in the country, of which, some 200 to 300 bite and those are mainly responsible for contracting rabies to human.
Only rabid dogs are thought to be responsible for the transmission of the disease. Some other animals like cat, jackal and mongoose rarely inflict this viral infection on humans in the country, Prof Ahmed said.
Other than humans, more than 20,000 animals (cattle) succumb to rabies every year, he added.
Rabies is completely a preventable disease. But once it manifests symptoms no medicine turns therapeutic, and death is a must, he pointed out.
If there is no rabies in dog there won’t be any rabies in humans and cattle, he went on.
“If we can vaccinate dogs they will not get infected. If we promote relationship between animals, particularly dogs, and humans, they won’t bite us often. The possibility of being contracted by rabies will then be reduced, he suggested.
-With Daily Sun input
