At least 21 people have reportedly lost their lives to rabies in Sindh so far this year. Stray dogs continue to roam freely in neighbourhoods, parks and public spaces, as repeated dog-culling campaigns have not been able to control their population. Equally concerning is the lack of timely access to proper post-exposure rabies treatment. Rabies is almost invariably fatal once symptoms appear, but it is preventable if victims receive appropriate treatment promptly after exposure.
The local authorities must adopt a comprehensive and humane strategy involving vaccination of stray dogs, effective population control, removal of aggressive and rabid animals from public spaces, reliable availability of post-exposure treatment, public awareness and an efficient system for reporting dog-bite cases.
Amir Shahzad
Karachi
