Rabies continues to be a pressing public health issue across Southeast Asia, with over 27,000 human deaths reported annually, predominantly resulting from dog bites. Despite being entirely preventable, the disease remains endemic due to challenges such as limited veterinary services, cultural barriers, and restricted access to vaccines and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). What steps can be taken to address these barriers and move toward a rabies-free region?

On September 30, 2024, Global Health Security (GHS) Talks #3 focused on “Rabies and One Health: Collaborative Strategies for a Rabies-Free Southeast Asia.” The event featured Dr. Katrin Bote, a Technical Officer at the WHO-SEARO, who emphasized the need for joint efforts across human, animal, and environmental health sectors to fully eliminate rabies in Southeast Asia. The session, organized in collaboration with the Center for Tropical Medicine UGM, AI4PEP, York University, International Development Research Center (IDRC) Canada, WHO Indonesia, and USAID, attracted over 150 participants via Zoom and YouTube Live.

Dr. Katrin highlighted One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health strategies to tackle rabies. Her presentation covered essential aspects of rabies control, such as enhancing surveillance systems to better detect outbreaks, strengthening animal vaccination programs, expanding human access to PEP, and boosting community involvement in prevention initiatives.

How can countries in Southeast Asia implement these strategies effectively? The webinar featured successful case studies from Bangladesh, Thailand, Nepal, and Mexico, showcasing innovative, localized solutions to rabies control. These examples provided a model for other countries in the region, underlining the importance of community-driven interventions and robust policies.

The webinar concluded with a strong call for sustained efforts and partnerships to achieve the goal of zero human rabies deaths by 2030. Cross-sector collaboration and international cooperation are crucial, along with community participation in vaccination campaigns and awareness initiatives. Can these combined efforts finally lead to the eradication of rabies in Southeast Asia?

Check out the recorded version of the webinar, here.