KGMOA appeals to Kerala govt to launch universal rabies vaccination programme for children
In a statement issued a day after seven-year-old Niya Faisal succumbed to a rabies infection despite receiving vaccination, the association highlighted that rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
In a statement issued a day after seven-year-old Niya Faisal succumbed to a rabies infection despite receiving vaccination, the association highlighted that rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
In a statement issued a day after seven-year-old Niya Faisal succumbed to a rabies infection despite receiving vaccination, the association highlighted that rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA) on Tuesday urged the state government to launch a universal pre-exposure rabies vaccination programme, especially for children and other high-risk groups.
The association suggested that if a full state-wide rollout is not immediately possible, the plan should begin in high-risk areas and gradually expand. The KGMOA suggested forming a task force to plan a phased rollout, starting with vaccinating all children, especially in high-risk or underserved areas, and gradually including high-risk workers such as doctors, vets, animal handlers, and sanitation staff.
In a statement issued a day after seven-year-old Niya Faisal succumbed to a rabies infection despite receiving vaccination, the association highlighted that rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, PTI reported.
While Kerala has made strong progress in recent years through mass dog vaccination, public awareness campaigns, and easy access to Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), the association said that it is time to move from reacting to rabies cases to preventing them entirely.
As per the association, around 59,000 people die from the disease every year around the globe, with India accounting for 18,000 to 20,000 of those deaths. Children make up nearly 40 per cent of the victims, and in Kerala, about 20–25 people still die from rabies each year.
The association noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a simple three-dose intradermal vaccination on days 0, 7, and 21/28 for pre-exposure protection. "This vaccine provides long-term immunity. If someone who has had these vaccines is later bitten, they only need two booster doses, and not the costly and hard-to-find rabies immunoglobulin," the association added.
The KGMOA emphasised that this approach is safer, especially in cases involving serious bites to the face or hands. To protect children, who often do not report bites and may not clean wounds properly, the association called on the government to start the programme with them.
KGMOA further suggested integrating the Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) rabies vaccination programme with current rabies control efforts and seeking national-level support to include PrEP in India's Immunisation Programme for rabies-endemic regions. By greenlighting this preventive rabies vaccination programme, Kerala can set another example and lead the way towards the global goal of zero rabies deaths by 2030, the association added.