RIACON calls for baseline survey of stray dogs

Bangalore, Mar 3 (UNI) There is an urgent need to conduct a baseline survey on the population of stray dogs to arrest the spread of rabies, which claims over 20,000 lives in India every year, Maj Gen R M Kharab, Fellow National Academy of Veterinary Sciences, said here today.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the two-day International Conference on Rabies Prevention (RIACON-2007) he said due to absence of a comprehensive baseline survey and data on the stray dogs population in the country, it was proving very difficult to address the problem of rabies disease.

Dr Kharab, who had spent over four decades in breeding, rearing, training and treating dogs, suggested that the local bodies including Muncipalities and panchayats should take up the responsibility of eradication and control of rabies.

''Stray dogs, which are the main vector of rabies disease needs to be vaccinated to protect the human beings, especially children, by effectively introducing various methods of vaccination including application of oral rabies vaccine,'' he said.

Dr Nagaraja, Director, NIMHANS Bangalore, said that the problem of rabies disease was larger and more complex in the Developing countries than in the developed world and there was a need for a community approach to address the problem.

Expressing regret over the Union Government's attitude to pass the responsibility to State government and the State government to local bodies on the increased stray dogs menace, he called for adopting new methodologies for the effective intervention to combat the problem.

RIACON-2007 was the first scientific meeting of the Rabies in Asia (RIA) which was jointly organised by National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences and Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS). Delegates from Asian countries, Europe and United States are taking part in it.

UNI