Presented in the WHO mediated multi-sectoral meeting to develop a national strategy for rabies control

1. Role of Department of
Animal Production &
Health in
“Animal Rabies” Control
Tikiri Wijayathilaka (AD/VPH)
BVSc, Master in TAP (Larenstein, Netherlands), MVM (Massey, NZ)
Cert. in Med. & Surg. (RGU, Japan),
Department of Animal Production & Health,
P O Box 13, Peradeniya 20400

2. What made it important…..
• Dogs are the cause of rabies for 99% of human
deaths
• Bovine & caprine also report rabies other than
dogs
• Occurs in wild as well as domestic animals and
transmits to human through close contact
• Reducing rabies incidence would be a result of
a combination of controlling dog population &
improving herd immunity through vaccination

3. Canine Bovine Caprine
Reported Cases of Rabies : January – July 2011
Cattle Buffalo Canine Caprine Ovine Swine Total
July-Dec 2009 46 1 65 31 8 151
Jan-June 2010 30 1 36 16 83
July-Dec 2010 42 55 6 1 104
Jan-June 2011 43 1 32 27 1 104
Total 161 58 139 74 8 2 442
% of total cases 36.43 13.12 31.45 16.74 1.81 0.45

4. DAPH Perspective
• Well recognized of importance in engaging in
control of Animal Rabies
• Endorse the emphasis of international
agencies (OIE, FAO) in engaging in animal
rabies control
• Veterinary Public Health Policy – in relation to
zoonoses (Rabies, Lepto, Brucella, TB, BSE)
• Road map of eradication of “Animal Rabies” in
2020

5. Roadmap to eradicate Animal
Rabies in 2020
• Objective – implement a sustainable animal rabies
control and prevention program through “VSUs”
island wide to achieve zero animal rabies cases in
2020
• Deliverables –
– Permanent “Rabies clinics” at VSUs
– Active/Passive animal rabies surveillance system
– Herd immunity over 80%
– Responsible animal ownership
– Collaborative mechanism between animal and human
health

6. Milestones
• Year 1
– Animal census
– Levy free immunization, sterilization campaign
– Surveillance & reporting
– Harmonizing immunization, sterilization procedures
• Year 2
– Responsible animal ownership
– Animal movement management
– Enhancing diagnostic capacity

7. Milestones….cont.
• Year 4
– Mandatory immunization, registration
– Launching fee levied immunization/sterilization
– Over 70% herd immunity
• Year 2020
– Over 80% herd immunity
– Zero animal rabies clinical cases

8. Key strategies
• Make provisions for state veterinary services
to undertake control and surveillance
activities of the zoonoses
• Strengthening collaboration between public
and veterinary health counterparts
• Integrating wildlife and environmental
components to animal rabies control program
• Conducting strong health education programs
promoting prevention & control of rabies

9. Rationale..
• Effective controlling of rabies needs effective
animal rabies control
• Enhance herd immunization through
responsible animal ownership, reducing number
of births (in case of dogs)
• Enhanced health education for improvement in
animal immunization and human prophylaxis

10. Key stakeholders & their role
Organization Role to be played
DAPH Implementing the animal rabies control
program
Ministry of Livestock &
Rural Community
Development lo
Financing & Monitoring
Ministry of Health Human rabies control, health education,
technical collaboration
VSU/Local Government
animal health staff
Ground level implementers in control
programs, surveillance
NGOs/INGOs Promoters in responsible animal ownership,
reducing environmental contribution
International Donor
Community
Technical and financial assistance

11. Ways for collaboration
• Inter-ministerial steering committee – policy
level intervention (Health, Livestock, Finance,
Local Government)
• National Joint Technical Committee –
harmonization of procedures, evaluation of
control programs, developing surveillance
programs
• National Advisory Committee – forum for
public opinion, cost sharing, sharing of role

12. Thank you for the
attention…..