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Published Date: 2011-07-07 17:30:36
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Rabies - India (13): (TN) canine, human
Archive Number: 20110707.2059

RABIES - INDIA (13): (TAMIL NADU), CANINE, HUMAN
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Date: Thu 7 Jul 2011
Source: The Times of India, Chennai [edited]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/20-rabies-deaths-in-6-mths-health-workers-worried/articleshow/9132104.cms

At least 20 people have died of rabies at the Government General
Hospital in the city in the last 6 months. Last month [June 2011], 3
died of the virus [infection], spread through dog bites.

The increasing number of such deaths is worrying public health
workers, who are coming together on Sat 9 Jul 2011 to debate the topic
at the conference: "Why should anyone die of rabies in the 21st
century?" The conference, organised by the Association for Prevention
and Control of Rabies in India, will discuss strategies to eliminate
rabies by 2020.

"One big reason for rabies still being around is the lack of
transparency and also severe underreporting of deaths," said former
director of public health Dr S Elango. For instance, though the
records at the general hospital alone point to 12 deaths in 2010 and
13 deaths in 2009, none of these were recorded in the national
registry. In 2009, Tamil Nadu recorded 3 deaths against 263 across the
country, and in 2010, it recorded 2 deaths against 162 nationally
(source: National Health Profile 2010).

"Had we reported all deaths, there would have been pressure on the
civic authorities to initiate action. That would have pushed us to a
stage where we can eliminate the disease. Instead, we choose to bury
deaths under the carpet," said Dr Elango. The Government General
Hospital reported 2 rabies deaths each in April and May this year
[2011].

Rabies is caused by a virus that is transmitted to humans through the
infected saliva of a range of animals. In many cities, dogs have been
the primary cause for spreading the virus. Officials at Chennai
Corporation maintain that the dog population in the city has not been
on the rise. "We have outsourced dog population control to NGOs. They
sterilise the animals, give them anti-rabies vaccines and let them out
in the same area," said a health department official. He said most dog
bites took place in suburban areas outside city corporation limits.

[byline: Pushpa Narayan]

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communicated by:
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[This press report sadly reiterates some of the well-known factors
impeding the control of rabies virus infection in India. In this
instance, the problem is compounded by systemic underreporting of
human deaths and the lack of a consistent policy for containment and
control of canine rabies anywhere except in city centres.

Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital city of the Indian
state of Tamil Nadu. The state of Tamil Nadu and the city of Chennai
can be located in the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of India
at: http://healthmap.org/r/008o. - Mod.CP]

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