Rabies prevention efforts in Viet Nam: targeting rabies elimination in Viet Nam by 2020
According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), during the period from 2011-2015, approximately 400,000 people were bitten by suspected rabid dogs and on average 90 people per year died due to rabies. Deaths mainly occurred in the northern midlands and mountainous regions. In the first quarter of 2016, there were 10 deaths recorded in 10 provinces throughout the country.
One highlighted recent activity was the “Consultation workshop to review and finalize the National rabies control and elimination program, 2016-2020” in February, 2016, hosted by FAO’s Viet Nam Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) in collaboration with the Department of Animal Health (DAH) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). In this workshop, the Stepwise Approach to Rabies Elimination (SARE) tool developed by FAO and Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) was discussed. The SARE tool is used to identify gaps in rabies prevention and control. Based on the lessons learned from the National Programme during the period 2011-2015 and the models of rabies control and prevention developed through the FAO Viet Nam ECTAD activities, the new program aims to eliminate rabies in humans by 2020. It focuses on 6 solutions: (a) One Health inter-sectoral collaboration; (b) Socio-cultural solutions; (c) Communications; (d) Policy and legislative solutions; (e) Resource mobilization; (f) International cooperation.
In order to cope with the risk of potential rabies cases this summer, on 9 May 2016 MARD issued Official Letter No. 3596/BNN-TY to the Chairpersons of provincial/city People's Committees on strengthening the prevention and control of rabies in animals. The letter emphasizes the need to reinforce coordination between the human and animal health sectors for disease prevention and control at both national and local levels. In addition, in June 2016 MARD in accordance with MOH sent out the 8th Draft of the “National rabies control and elimination program, 2016 – 2020”, in which specific measures to address rabies were featured, in order to receive final feedback before submission for approval.
In line with national and international efforts, under the scope of the USAID-funded project "Strengthening the capacity for the implementation of One Health in Viet Nam" (SCOH), the One Health Partnership Secretariat has commissioned a study on Estimating the economic impact of rabies in Viet Nam. This report provides important evidence to support the decision making process of policy makers, and is considered as a positive contribution for achieving the target of no deaths due to rabies in Viet Nam by 2020.
According to the latest news, the World Rabies Day 2016 will be organized on 28 September in Nghe An and Gia Lai provinces and co-hosted by the General Department of Preventive Medicine, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, WHO, FAO, US CDC, World Animal Protection./.
