Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has declared human rabies a notifiable disease.
A notification issued by the state Health and Family Welfare Department on Saturday stated that rabies is a viral disease that often causes human deaths. According to the notification rabies incidents depend critically on dog-related transmission parameters.
Up to 99 per cent of all rabies transmission occurs due to dog bites.
“Though rabies is fatal, it is preventable by timely and appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Rabies is the oldest recognised zoonotic disease of public health concern in the state accounting for substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic loss. There is a global call for rabies elimination by 2030,” the notification read.
The National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) has been implemented in the country to address the issues and challenges of rabies surveillance. As per this programme, a case definition has been formulated for any suspected, probable, or confirmed cases. “Prevention, control, and elimination of rabies can only be achieved through robust surveillance, post-exposure prophylaxis, and case/death reporting system,” it added.
“Considering all the above factors, the department, in the exercise of the power conferred under Section 2 of the Epidemic Disease Act 1897, declares rabies as a notifiable disease.”
“Every suspect, probable and confirmed case of rabies in humans is to be notified to district health authorities including Chief District Medical Officer and Public Health Officer (CDM&PHOs), District Public Health Officer (DPHO) in the prescribed format by public and private hospitals, clinics, polyclinics, nursing homes, medical college and hospitals, diagnostic clinics, NGO sector hospitals, municipality hospitals, and urban area hospitals, the notification stated,” the notification said.
