"World Rabies Day" is on 28th September.
What: A day of declaration and action wherever possible
Who: International and national human and animal health organizations, human and veterinary public health professionals, non-governmental organizations, World Health Organization Collaborating Centers, universities and corporate and private partners
Where: As many countries as possible
Why: Raise awareness and enhance prevention and control of this neglected disease.
When: Annually on September 28th
Objectives:
1. To raise global awareness about rabies.
2. To promote education in local communities to control and prevent rabies.
3. To mobilize and coordinate resources toward human rabies prevention and animal rabies control.
74 Participating Countries:
Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain (Kingdom of), Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Laos, Mali, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts, Sudan, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom (Scotland), United States, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia.
Dr. A. K. Gupta celebrates World Rabies Day for full fortnight. During this fortnight Rabies walks, Vaccination camps, Education about Rabies among general public, school children etc. are organized.
Last year`s (2011) experiences:
The auspicious "World Rabies Day" fortnight celebrations began today afternoon at "Prayas" NGO. Prayas is one of India's largest non-profit organizations founded by Delhi police Chief Amod Kanth. Prayas operates a number of primary health care clinics in the slum areas of Delhi. Mr. Amod K. Kanth, Retd. IPS, Former Director General of Police, is now Chairperson - Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) and General Secretary of Prayas. Mr. Shatrughan Sinha (Film actor and M.P. –Lok Sabha) is the president of Prayas.
The event began with the screening of a film on Rabies followed by a brief talk on practical aspects of rabies prophylaxis. Stress was given on proper management of animal bite/scratch wound(s) with particular attention on washing of the wound(s) with soap and water followed by Anti-Rabies vaccination and Rabies immunoglobulin. Everybody liked the concept of Pre-exposure vaccination.
There were various queries from the audience and all were satisfactorily answered.
Spreading awareness about Rabies every week
In an attempt to spread awareness about Rabies every week, last week, a successful medical education program was organized for doctors at Indian Medical Association (IMA) Hall, I.T.O., New Delhi. The topic of discussion was "Proper steps of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis and the importance of Rabies Immunoglobulin".
It was attended by seventy six doctors including family physicians, pediatricians and few medical professionals from other specialty.
I presented a very informative power point presentation.
It was a very interesting, interactive session with lots of good queries.
*Dated: 16th Sept. 2011*: "World Rabies Day" at Rani Bagh, New Delhi. Today afternoon was another wonderful day in the history of "World Rabies Day". So many family physicians and pediatricians from Rani Bagh, New Delhi gathered at Moti Mahal Banquet Hall today afternoon to celebrate this fortnight of "World Rabies Day".
Doctors took special interest in Pre-Exposure Vaccination and most of them decided to start giving it as a routine.
There was a long discussion on Rabies Immunoglobulins.
After a grand lunch and high tea, we all dispersed but the carry home message was clear that Rabies is 100% preventable.
Spreading awareness about Rabies every week
It was Dwarka, New Delhi, this week. This CME was attended by thirty two doctors of the area. It was a mix of family physicians, pediatricians and nursing home owners.
The talk on rabies was a bit lengthy, touching general information about disease, Post-exposure prophylaxis, Pre-exposure prophylaxis, IDRV, Rabies Immunoglobulin and a bit of animal rabies.
Nursing home owners had maximum queries. All the queries were very well answered. This event was sponsored by Novartis (Rabipur)
On the occasion of "World Rabies Day" Fortnight, I have put up an exhibition on Rabies. The title of the exhibition is "RABIES ALBUM". This is Rabies through the photographs, exhibiting more than one hundred photographs on Rabies. This is open to public. Timings are 10.00 AM to 6.00 PM daily starting from 22.09.2011. The venue of exhibition is B-1/57, Ashok Vihar, Phase-2, Delhi-110052.
"RABIES ALBUM" - the exhibition on Rabies through the photographs, is attracting lots of doctors and common people of the area. The response is beyond expectations.
I feel satisfied when I see people looking at photographs showing different aspects of rabies. Common people visiting the "Rabies Album" exhibition are finding the exhibition very informative and it leaves a deep impact on visitors. I could observe that people really want to learn about rabies. At the same time most find the disease horrifying and scary.
Spreading awareness about Rabies among doctors in New Delhi
Date: 26.09.2011, Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi: This CME was attended by twenty eight doctors of the area, mostly family physicians. The event was sponsored by Novartis (Rabipur). Doctors have so many queries about Post-exposure prophylaxis, Pre-exposure prophylaxis, IDRV, and Rabies Immunoglobulin.
I will request APCRI members to start a drive for properly educating doctors of their area about rabies with full devotion, dedication and passion.
Rabies talk and Quiz at St. Stephens School, New Delhi
Dated: 29.09.2011. It was part of "Extended World Rabies Day" celebration. A talk and Quiz on Rabies was organized at St. Stephens School, New Delhi, courtesy Novartis (Rabipur).
It was an altogether different experience. Children and their teachers including the principal of the school were very inquisitive about rabies.
The students were given an assignment by the principal, of writing about rabies as their home work.
I was astonished to observe the memory of students as they answered the questions in Quiz contest. They could even recall the Post-exposure and Pre-exposure schedules after watching a film on Rabies.
Prizes were given to students with correct answers.