With a fatality rate of almost 100% once symptoms appear, rabies remains one of the deadliest zoonoses, killing 59,000 people every year.
Every year on September 28, we celebrate World Rabies Day as a day to raise awareness about rabies prevention and reducing rabies transmission. This year’s theme “Act Now: You, Me Community”, invites us to take individual and collective steps to stop the spread of dog-mediated rabies. These include responsible dog ownership, organising rabies education events and participating in rabies vaccine campaigns.
Since 2007, our longtime partner the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), has marked September 28 as World Rabies Day; the biggest event in rabies awareness. World Rabies Day, and events associated with it, play a critical role in supporting rabies prevention and elimination efforts worldwide. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness and advocate for the elimination of one of the world’s deadliest zoonoses. This year, with the theme, “Act Now: You, Me Community”, the GARC calls on everyone to take responsibility and work together to drive real change. You, me communities calls on individuals, groups and societies to vaccinate dogs, support rabies elimination efforts and organize vaccination campaigns to prevent the spread of the disease.
This year’s theme is the first in World Rabies Day’s 19-year history where the word “rabies” is not included, highlighting how big the movement has grown through individual and community action alike. Together our community – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Against Rabies Forum remain – remains committed to working alongside yours to bring rabies to an end.
The theme calls on individuals and communities to act to prevent the spread of dog-mediated rabies. It invites us to support vaccination campaigns, share social media messages, partner with organisations, increase awareness, or raising money for rabies elimination. Whichever mode of action you choose, your participation will make a difference.
Here are some communication materials you can use and share:
As individuals and as a community, we have the power to end rabies.
Join us in making a difference this World Rabies Day.
Follow us on social media and join the conversation with #WorldRabiesDay
