Mayor Of Karachi, Wasim Akhtar Reviews Progress On 'Rabies Free Programme'

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th May, 2018 ) :Mayor of Karachi, Wasim Akhtar has said that theRabies Control Programme (RCP) was aimed at safeguarding the citizens against dog biting and spread of rabies virus among local population.

He said this while presiding over a meeting to review the up-to-dateprogress and decision on future plans, said a statement on Tuesday.

He said that a Pilot project initiated in Ibrahim Haidery unioncouncil will soon be extended to other areas of Karachi.

Strategies devised by the World Health Organization and WorldOrganization for Animal Health were adopted in the RFK programme whichinvolved anti-rabies vaccination in dogs and animal birth controlprogramme.

The Mayor said that the district municipal administration and unioncouncil chairmen will be taken on board in this connection so thatbasic infrastructure for this programme could be made available in alldistricts of Karachi.

During a briefing to Mayor Karachi, Head of Rabies Free KarachiProgramme at Indus Hospital Dr. Nasim Salahuddin said that so far 2,145 dogshave been vaccinated in three union councils of Ibrahim Haiderywhereas about 400 dogs were operated under ABC programme.

The local population was also taken into confidence beforestarting work in their area and community engagement sessions wereconducted.

She said rabies control could be ensured if in any area 70percent dogs were vaccinated.

The dog catching and vaccination team has been trained by theexpert from World Health Organization and about 50 thousand kits wereprovided by the WHO for this purpose.

The Mayor reviewing the overall project and its implementation inKarachi said, "We need to focus more on suburban areas and katchiabadies besides continuing work in main city."He said that the World Health Organization has set the 2030 target forelimination of rabies in the world and "We will provide all possiblecooperation to WHO and other organization concerned in thisconnection."He said that daily hundred to 150 cases of dog biting are reported inthe city and 15 to 20 thousand cases of dog biting are reportedannually.

The victim can be expired if no immediate medical aid isprovided to him. Industrial areas in Karachi are more suffered due tothis situation.

He said that new technology is being used to control the rabiesand for this purpose dogs will be given anti-rabies vaccine andoperated under ABC programme.