Together Against Rabies

For us, September means just one thing: World Rabies Day, September 28.

This year’s theme #TogetherAgainstRabies embodies the One Health principle that human, animal and environmental health are interdependent. We all need to work together to help people and animals live safely and happily together. This World Rabies Day we’ll be promoting this message as part of different collaborations with the AVMA, PAHO, WVA, WMA, IVSA and IFMSA, among others.

At the time of writings there are a healthy 84 events registered which all appear as pins on the global map of activities. It’s very exciting. There’s so much fantastic work going on. Please take a moment to look at it and explore some of the events taking place.

If you’re planning something, please take a moment to register it. Each event inspires and strengthens the rabies prevention community and helps persuade decision makers that rabies is a problem with a solution. And we’ve renewed all the documentation for organizers, including tips on how to choose, organize and maximize the impact of your activity.

GARC has teamed up with the IFMSA and IVSA to issue the Global One Health Challenge to medical and veterinary students. Teams compete by designing and conducting rabies prevention events in their community. The winning team will have the chance to travel to the WMA/WVA One Health conference in Madrid, Spain next May. It’s an amazing opportunity to promote intersectoral collaboration among the future generation and we hope it will prompt lots of entries. Please share it with your university contacts for them to share with their students.

You’ll can also read about the Me and my dog photo campaign which aims to raise awareness that vaccinating dogs stop canine rabies at source; #TogetherAgainstRabies, people and dogs are safer. We’re hoping for thousands of photos from around the world all celebrating the companionship between people and dogs. We’ve had a good early response including pictures from some people you may recognize. Please take part by sharing an image and share on your networks to encourage others to do the same.

The daily tragedies of rabies and the current outbreak of Ebola are examples of the devastating threat zoonoses pose. But global rabies elimination is possible and the rabies prevention community is ideally placed to lead the way in establishing One Health working practices. Please use World Rabies Day as a reason to reach out to others and form partnerships that help make elimination a reality.

With thanks, from the World Rabies Day team.