News: Bhutan became the first country in the WHO Southeast Asia Region to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies as a public-health problemà WHO validated the achievement; Bhutan’s last human rabies death was reported in June 2023.

How Bhutan Achieved It

• Mass dog vaccination → controlled rabies transmission at source.
• Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) → wound washing, rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin when required.
• Community participation → vaccination, dog population management, awareness and bite reporting.
• One Health approach → coordination among health, veterinary, local-government and community stakeholders.

Global & Indian Context

• Rabies causes around 59,000 deaths annually worldwide.
• About 96% of human rabies cases are linked to dog bites.
• India accounts for roughly one-third of global rabies deaths, making prevention a major public-health priority.

Significance for India

• Strengthen mass dog vaccination, surveillance, dog population management and access to PEP.
• Bhutan demonstrates that rabies elimination is achievable through vaccination + timely treatment + community participation + One Health coordination.