PANAJI: Static point vaccination drive for owned dogs was kickstarted on World Rabies Day, on Tuesday, wherein the canines will be vaccinated free of cost at local veterinary hospitals in Goa from October 4 onwards.
“Now that Goa is a rabies-controlled area, centres will be identified in the state wherein once a year people can bring their dogs for the annual rabies-vaccination. Stray dog vaccination will be done at border talukas — Pernem, Sattari, Bicholim and Canacona,” said Dr Marwin Lopes, nodal officer for rabies control.
“We lost many lives when we did not have vaccine for Covid-19 but in the case of Rabies, we are still losing 20,000 lives every year in India even 130 years after the rabies vaccine was developed, which is a shame,” said Dr Murugan, director of education, Mission Rabies. “Goa has been a pioneer in rabies-control and has shown the world that it is possible to control the virus,” he added.
An awareness campaign was also flagged off with four mobile awareness vehicles with messages and pictures with public announcement system to go to each and every village in Goa during the static point free vaccination until October 26.
World Rabies Day is celebrated as day of rabies awareness and the death anniversary day of scientist Louis Pasteur who developed the rabies vaccine.
