GARC launches a new educational course, the Rabies Healthcare Certificate

Thumbnail
A nurse in an Animal Bite Treatment Center in Sorsogon, the Philippines administers post-exposure vaccine. Photo: Jojie Ocampo

The Global Alliance for Rabies Control is proud to announce the launch of the latest free online educational course on the GARC Education Platform (GEP) - the Rabies Healthcare Certificate (RHC). The RHC is a profession-specific course developed to provide human healthcare professionals with all the information required to safely and correctly provide medical assistance with regards to all rabies-related aspects.

By incorporating the latest recommendations made by the World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) into the coursework, the RHC course provides graduates with the latest and most up-to-date information pertaining to:

  • The correct administration of rabies biologics for either pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP);

  • Special considerations for providing human PEP;

  • The management of potential rabies exposure cases;

  • The clinical diagnosis of suspect human rabies cases and the importance of subsequent laboratory confirmation.

Globally, rabies knowledge relating to the adequate and correct prophylaxis and treatment of human rabies cases is lacking, with outdated and sometimes dangerous practices still being implemented. The RHC aims to update the knowledge and ensure that the latest techniques and guidelines are being followed by health professionals dealing with rabies. Therefore, not only is this course perfect for medical students currently completing their studies, but it is also well-suited to professionals who want to familiarise themselves with the latest recommendations made by the WHO for rabies prophylaxis and treatment.  With the knowledge gained from this course, human lives can be saved, whilst costs associated with incorrect PEP administration can be reduced.

Participants working in the human healthcare sector must first complete the introductory Rabies Educator Certificate (REC) course on the GEP (https://education.rabiesalliance.org) before being able to enroll for the RHC course. Those who have already completed the REC course can contact [email protected] to get the enrollment key for the RHC course.  

Learn more about GARC Education Platform courses and how they’re being used across the world.

Written by Dr Andre Coetzer, GARC Education Platform administrator.  A downloadable flier with more information on the Rabies Healthcare Certificate can be found here.