Although Sri Lanka is due to eliminate the disease Rabies by the year 2020 Country's dog population is still higher more than the required amount the World Health Organization (WHO) has been recommended to have according to the Public Health Veterinary Surgeon Dr.Ruvini Pimburage.
The required dog population a country should have to eliminate Rabies as per the WHO is 1 dog per 25 persons of the population but in Sri Lanka we have 1 dog per 6.87 persons she has stressed.
Accordingly Sri Lanka's current population is 20.3 million and the dog population is 3.03 million Dr.Pimburage has stated.
While adrressing a Media Seminar held yesterday (26) to mark the International Rabies Day which falls on 28th of September at the Health Education Bureau in Colombo Dr.Pimburage has revealed that to eliminate the Rabies from the country by the year 2020 Sri Lanka is planning to make the Rabies deaths to " 0"
When compared to the Rabies deaths reported from the island last year the first nine months of this year the number of deaths had been reduced by half she has said.Last year there were 24 Rabies Deaths and in this year up to now only 10 Rabies deaths have been reported it has been revealed.
Sri Lanka at present vaccinated around 1.5 million dogs against Rabies the Public Health Veterinary Services unit of the Ministry of Health has stated.
Rabies is a disease that 100 percent fatal and through vaccinating pets including dogs , avoid animal bites and seeking medical treatment soon after a animal bite are the ways that one can prevent of getting Rabies the Unit has stressed.
