After the 2023 Lunar New Year, many vaccination systems have recorded an increase in the number of people coming for rabies vaccination compared to the month before Tet.
In the past time, many people have unfortunately been bitten by a dog, bitten by a cat or scratched or licked an open wound. Aware of the danger of rabies, people have actively sought out vaccination centers to receive timely vaccination.
According to information from the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, from the beginning of 2023 to the present, the hospital’s vaccination department has received 99 cases of dog and cat bites to rabies vaccination, including 56 high-risk cases. must be injected with rabies serum, accounting for 56%.
According to statistics from the Hanoi CDC, in 2022, the city (city) has recorded 2 cases of rabies and both died. Meanwhile, in the same period in 2021, Hanoi recorded only 1 case of rabies death.
Through a recent report of specialized veterinary and local health agencies, from the beginning of the year, the whole country recorded 41 deaths from rabies in 16 provinces and cities (an increase of 2 deaths compared to the previous year). same period in 2021). In which, the most are the provinces of Ben Tre (12 cases), Kien Giang (5 cases) and Gia Lai (4 cases).
Doctor Nguyen Tuan Hai – vaccination expert of the Safpo/Potec system – said that there is currently no specific treatment for rabies in the world. Rabies is dangerous but completely preventable. Rabies vaccination immediately after a dog bite is the only way to avoid tragic deaths.
The source of rabies transmission in the world in general and in our country in particular is mainly because rabies dogs bite people without vaccination. If there was no rabies in animals, there would be no rabies in humans.
Therefore, the most effective measure to eliminate rabies in humans is to manage the dog population and fully vaccinate the dog against rabies. Raising dogs must be chained, locked, when going out, they must wear a muzzle.
In addition, people in the high-risk group, who often come into contact with dogs and cats, can also receive rabies vaccine prophylaxis and receive rabies vaccine immediately if they are unfortunately bitten by a dog or cat.
Experts especially emphasized that the only way to save people when bitten by a rabid dog or cat is to inject rabies vaccine and rabies serum as soon as possible. Depending on the condition of the bite, it is possible to only need to be vaccinated or combined with anti-rabies serum.
When injecting rabies vaccine, the following requirements must be followed: Get the full dose (5 shots), on time, don’t drink alcohol, don’t use corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs.
Absolutely do not use Chinese medicine, do not self-treat, do not ask a healer to treat rabies at home to avoid unfortunate consequences.
To prevent rabies, the Ministry of Health suggested that the People’s Committees of provinces and cities direct the Departments of Health to strengthen close monitoring of cases of suspected rabies bites by dogs and cats.
Health units need to propagate and mobilize people to come to health facilities for timely examination, advice and vaccination of rabies vaccine and at the same time communicate about the dangers of rabies as well as measures to prevent and control the disease. rabies disease in humans and animals, pay special attention to the media about not treating rabies by measures not yet recognized by the Ministry of Health.
Departments of Health of provinces and cities are also required to increase people’s access to rabies vaccine and human anti-rabies serum: Continue to expand and strengthen rabies vaccination sites to ensure at least one district /town has an injection point.
For high-risk provinces, establish more rabies vaccination sites at the commune level to increase the rate of post-exposure rabies vaccination (if necessary).