14 Dec 2023
Charity led by Luke Gamble is planning a major Mission Rabies initiative in February 2024 to deliver mass canine vaccination drive across Indian city.
Vet Times
Job Title
Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) founder Luke Gamble is appealing to UK vets to join a massive drive to vaccinate dogs and prevent rabies in Mumbai.
WVS’ Mission Rabies project, launched in 2013, vaccinated 60,000 dogs in Goa across a four-week period when it first launched and it became the first Indian state to be declared a “rabies controlled area” in 2021.
Rabies claims 59,000 lives a year, and 20,000 of these occur in India. Globally, 4.5 million humans are exposed to the disease each year – with children at greatest risk of dying.
In 2022, a partnership between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mission Rabies was formed to work towards making Mumbai a rabies-free city.
A pilot in September and October vaccinated more than 14,000 dogs, and a 2024 drive in Mumbai – as part of a national programme to eradicate rabies in India by 2030 – aims to vaccinate thousands of dogs.
Luke Gamble, chief executive and founder of WVS, said: “In a world where rabies still tragically claims tens of thousands of lives every year, mostly in children, we have the power to prevent this.
“Nearly all human rabies cases stem from infected dog bites, a stark reality that drives our relentless pursuit to combat this disease at its very root.
“Our groundbreaking work in Goa has not only shown that it’s possible to eliminate canine rabies, but also to safeguard human lives from this entirely preventable yet devastating disease. The Mumbai initiative marks a pivotal moment in our journey, an ambitious step towards a rabies-free future in India.”
Dr Gamble added: “It’s more than just a five-day vaccination drive; it’s a call to action for anyone passionate about making a tangible difference. By joining this campaign, volunteers aren’t just part of a mission; they’re part of a historic movement, shaping a safer, rabies-free world for both humans and dogs.”
To find out more about the project and becoming a volunteer, visit the Mission Rabies website.
