Bengaluru, Feb 27 (PTI) Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday said the state has set a target of reducing rabies deaths to zero by 2030 as he launched the State Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination, aimed at making the staet rabies-free.
The State Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination (SAPRE) seeks to strengthen rabies prevention efforts across the state, he said.
The State Action Plan was also launched for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (SAPSE).
“The Government of Karnataka has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030 through the implementation of SAPRE. Aligned with the National Rabies Control Programme and the national goal of ‘Zero Human Deaths due to Dog-Mediated Rabies by 2030’, the state has adopted a comprehensive One Health strategy to address rabies in an integrated and sustainable manner,” he said.
Addressing the gathering here, the Health Minister announced that anti-rabies vaccines and rabies immunoglobulin will be made available at all Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres, taluk hospitals and district hospitals across the state, and maintaining adequate stocks has been made mandatory.
Private hospitals have also been directed to ensure continuous availability of these medicines and to provide treatment without insisting on advance payment, he added.
“State and district-level joint committees have been formed for monitoring purposes. The programme will be implemented with the cooperation of various government departments, and NGOs will also extend support,” Rao said.
On snakebite management, the minister said an action plan has been formulated to reduce deaths caused by venomous snakebites.
“The plan has been prepared in accordance with central guidelines,” he said, highlighting that in 2024, the state government included all snakebite cases in the list of notifiable diseases.
Officials noted that as Karnataka is the first state to declare all snake bite cases and deaths as’notifiable diseases’, it has also become the first state to launch state action plan.
“Guidelines have been developed in collaboration with NGOs, civil society organisations and other departments, Rao added.
According to Rao, the plan focuses on prevention and control measures, ensuring availability of medicines, training and creating public awareness.
Eliminating disabilities caused by snakebites is also a key objective.
“Free treatment will be provided for snakebite cases as well, and private hospitals have been directed to provide immediate life-saving treatment to victims without insisting on advance payment,” Rao said.
Overall, the Health Department has formulated these programmes to address public health concerns effectively and ensure that no death occurs due to lack of timely treatment, he added. PTI AMP ROH
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