Odisha Government Declares Human Rabies As Notifiable Disease

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has announced human rabies as a notifiable disease.

The Health and Family Welfare department, in a notification on Saturday, said rabies is a viral disease present resulting in human deaths. Rabies incidents depend critically on dog related transmission parameters. Upto 99% of all rabies transmission occur due to dog bites.

“Though rabies is 100% 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 department said.

National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) is implemented in the country to address the issues and challenges of rabies surveillance. As per the programme, case definition has been formulated for any Suspected case, Probable case or Confirmed case.

Prevention, control and elimination of rabies can only be achieved through robust surveillance, post exposure prophylaxis and case/death reporting system.

Considering all the factors, the department, in exercise of power conferred under the Section 2 of the Epidemic Disease Act 1897, declares rabies as notifiable disease.

Every suspect, probable and confirmed case of rabies in human 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.