Rabies controll program is a role model in Tamilnadu

For a state like Tamil Nadu which reports at least 20 rabies deaths a year, the fresh set of guidelines released by the Union health ministry holds promise. The protocol pushes for further use of antibodies to treat patients because they are more effective in preventing the deadly virus.
Readymade antibodies, called rabies immunoglobulins (RIG), can provide immunity a lot faster if injected at the bite spot. "It stops the virus from travelling into the blood stream and reaching the nervous system.
The 'National Guidelines on Rabies Prophylaxis' has stressed on the use of RIG not only in category III bites but also in category II bites if the patient is weak. "If the bite is in the lower part of the torso like the legs or if it is just a surface level bite, we usually administer only the anti-rabies vaccine (ARV). "We consider it grade II if the dog is behaving normally," he added. The ARV given in four doses over 28 days stimulates production of antibodies, and takes at least 14 days to provide immunity.
Although India accounts for nearly 50% of the global rabies mortality, there is no organised national rabies control programme. Rabies control is generally confined to small urban pockets, with minimal intersectoral co-ordination. Tamil Nadu is the first state in India to implement a state-wide, multisectoral rabies control initiative. The CDC Program Evaluation Framework guided the current assessment of this rabies prevention and control initiative in Tamil Nadu. Principle stakeholders were engaged through a series of interviews in order to document policy initiatives, to describe the programme and to understand their various roles. Surveillance data on dog bites were triangulated with vaccine consumption and dog population data to identify trends at the district level in the state. Findings and recommendations were shared at different levels. Rabies control activities in Tamil Nadu were conducted by separate departments linked by similar objectives. In addition to public health surveillance, animal census and implementation of dog licensing rules, other targeted interventions included waste management, animal birth control and anti-rabies vaccination, awareness campaigns, and widespread availability of anti-rabies vaccine at all public health facilities.