23 Jun 2021
“We’ve now delivered 540,593 vaccinations against rabies in dogs and educated nearly one million people in dog bite prevention across Goa” – Luke Gamble of Mission Rabies.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
Luke Gamble and the Mission Rabies team have now vaccinated more than 500,000 dogs in Goa against the disease.
An Indian state has announced it finally has rabies under control thanks to a UK charity after 61,143 dogs were vaccinated in 30 days.
UK-based charity Mission Rabies has been working alongside the government in Goa to eliminate the illness by mass vaccinating thousands of owned and stray dogs.
The charity has developed a model that it argues could save thousands of lives across the world from rabies infection.
Working with the Goan state government, the campaign now vaccinates around 90,000 dogs every year.
Luke Gamble, chief executive and founder of Mission Rabies, said: “We’ve now delivered 540,593 vaccinations against rabies in dogs and educated nearly one million people in dog bite prevention across Goa, as well as set up 24-hour rabies surveillance involving an emergency hotline, rapid response team, and a support team for dog bite victims.
“All of this led to Goa becoming the first state in India to stop all human deaths from rabies in 2018. An incredible achievement we’ve been able to support thanks to the leadership and strategic direction of the government.
“It is fantastic that we’ve now hit the next milestone in terms of controlling the disease in animal populations.”
Marin Lopes, Government of Goa deputy director and nodal officer for rabies control, said: “Now after years of work we are able to say that Goa is the first Rabies Controlled Area, and we hope other states will follow our example and work to achieve this, too.”
Murugan Appupillai, director of education at Mission Rabies, added: “Stringent measures, which have never been implemented in India before, will be now put in place to stop rabies re-emerging.
“Government officials will have authority to prevent unvaccinated animals entering the state via road, ship, air or train, and even question the status of animals within it.
“Rabies vaccines will also be available – equally accessible and affordable – for all pet owners.”
