On September 28, each year, World Rabies Day (WRD) is held to promote the fight against this disease, raise awareness on prevention and celebrate the achievements made.
End rabies: collaborate and vaccinate
Rabies is present on all continents and affects over 150 countries. The disease is responsible for around 60,000 human deaths worldwide each year, and dogs are the source of infection in most cases of human rabies.
The theme of the WRD 2020 is End rabies: collaborate and vaccinate to highlight the importance of dog vaccination and the need for a joint effort to achieve the elimination of this transboundary disease.
Americas
PAHO/WHO, through PANAFTOSA/VPH-PAHO/WHO, is responsible for coordinating the Regional Program for the Elimination of Human Rabies Transmitted by Dogs in the region of the Americas, providing technical cooperation to all the countries of the Region since 1983.
The incidence of human rabies transmitted by dogs has been drastically reduced by nearly 98%, from 300 cases in 1983 to 3 cases in 2019. This situation and the potential elimination of human rabies transmitted by dogs in the region of the Americas has been possible as a result of the solidarity between the countries, the exchange of lessons learned, the identification and prioritization of risks, as well as the monitoring and epidemiological surveillance actions in people and reservoirs.
At present, only one million people exposed to the risk of rabies receive post-exposure prophylaxis every year, delivered free of charge by the national health services. Besides, around 100 million dogs are vaccinated annually in vaccination campaigns against rabies.
PANAFTOSA/VPH ascribes to this event and restates its commitment so that the elimination of human rabies transmitted by dogs becomes a reality in 2022 in the region of the Americas.
Livestream
Join the WRD event
September 28 | 12:00 AM (Brasilia time)
Register your event
Resource packs
Documents
Regional map of actions for World Rabies Day 2020
Call to action
PANAFTOSA is elaborating the action map at regional level. We rely on the participation and the support of all the countries of the region to disseminate this idea. Therefore, we invite you to spread the online activities and/or events conducted in your country. Join this campaign by sending the information listed below to worldrabiesday@paho.org
Event name | Brief description | Date/Time | Venue/Country | Attach Photos or Short Video | Link to access the event | Mail of responsible
