Med commission advisory on rabies management to colleges
The Statesman | 21 September 2025As rabies remains a major public health concern in India, primarily transmitted to humans through dog bites, the Union ministry of health and family welfare has directed all 780 medical colleges and institutions to play a pivotal role in ensuring timely case management, surveillance, training, and community awareness.
Research showed that Bengal contributed highest 43 per cent of total rabies cases between 2005 and 2020 in the country.
The NMC, sole regulatory body that monitors medical education and research in teaching hospitals across states and union territories (UTs), in its advisory issued on 16 September states: “100 per cent fatal, but also almost 100 per cent preventable with timely administration of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) immediately after an animal bite.”
The teaching hospitals have been instructed to ensure the sustained availability of Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) and Anti-Rabies Serum (ARS) for timely and effective management of animal bite victims.
The WHO report shows, India is endemic for rabies and accounts for around 36 per cent of the world’s human rabies deaths transmitted by dogs.
Data shared by the ministry of animal husbandry and dairying in February in Parliament, revealed that India reported 22 lakh dog bite cases and over five lakh cases of bites from other animals, including monkeys, in 2024 across the country.
This has allegedly led to the deaths of a total of 48 people, as per the data.
In order to fight rabies, the NMC has directed all medical colleges to undertake periodic training of medical staff so that junior residents, senior residents and students are equipped to handle animal bite and dog bite management and rabies PEP as per the latest national guidelines.
The commission was prompted to issue the advisory after the health ministry in a letter written to the former on 28 August to take steps on how to prevent rabies in the country.
Medical colleges have been asked in ensuring timely case management, surveillance, training and community awareness.
Medical colleges and institutions are advised to undertake a few the key activities under the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP).
“Medical colleges and their associated hospitals/ peripheral centres should actively promote rabies awareness by displaying IEC materials and videos in OPDs, emergency areas, and waiting halls,” the advisory also stated.
India has rolled out a National Action Plan for Dog Mediated Rabies Elimination from India by 2030 (NAPRE), which was conceptualised and jointly launched by the ministry of health and family welfare and the ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying on 28 September 2021.
