Rabies emerging as major killer in Bangladesh

According to very recent data provided by various organizations as well as Ministry of Health in Bangladesh, rabies is already emerging as major killer in the country, killing thousands of people every year.

Nearly 100,000 people reported being bitten by dogs in 2009 and at least 3,000 people died of rabies.

Rabies, though is a fatal killer in many of the under-developed or developing nations, it does not get proper attention like AIDS, HIV or Malaria. Though only scores of people are killed by AIDS, HIV or Malaria, while thousands already killed only in Bangladesh by rabies, it is yet to receive proper attention of the government as well as concerned authorities and agencies in the world. According to medical experts, rabies are also spread by cat, which is yet to come under attention.

It is important to begin a nationwide campaign on rabies to make people aware of this deadly killer. In 2009, Bangladesh launched a nationwide drive against stray dogs after shortage of anti-rabies vaccine spate of deaths from the disease. Dhaka City Corporation sent out crack squads to kill dogs, culling up to 20,000 strays during the campaign. The new campaign will begin in August in the city. Similar programs are required to be immediately undertaken by other City Corporations in the country, while the government needs to send anti rabies squad to various rural areas in the country.

In July 2010, Bangladesh government introduced a new vaccine to help prevent rabies, finally stopping its reliance on the "nerve tissue vaccine", which the World Health Organization [WHO] ordered should be phased out worldwide in 2006. A section of unscrupulous officials and traders in the ministry concerned managed to import this banned medicine in Bangladesh at the huge expenses from the national exchequer.

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