The state government today launched an action plan to eliminate dog-mediated rabies in Meghalaya by 2030.
This was done on the occasion of World Rabies Day 2024.
There have been 27 fatal rabies cases reported in Meghalaya in the last two years and more than 90,000 dog bite cases, though many more are thought not to have been reported. Most cases of rabies in the state are due to dog bites.
Speaking on the occasion, National Health Mission Meghalaya Managing Director Ramkumar S termed dog bites as a serious issue. “We need to be careful about this as it is happening in urban as well as rural areas,” he said.
Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, while expressing concern over the situation, called for legislation to curb the menace of rabies. “It’s one thing to love a dog but it’s another to lose a life because of a dog bite,” she said, adding that there have been cases where a dog volunteer died of rabies while a 7-year-old child contracted the disease after being scratched by her own pet dog.
Meanwhile, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Alexander Laloo Hek said that, despite its seriousness, the disease is being neglected and there is low awareness among the general population. He also asked the Shillong Municipal Board and district administration to take steps to control stray dogs from roaming around and endangering the lives of children.
