Cricketer Mahindra Singh Dhoni’s wife Sakshi Dhoni once again came forward and took the anti-rabies mission drive a step ahead to make Ranchi a rabies-free city in the coming years. Sakshi Dhoni has been associated with Hope and Animal Trust, to campaign against rabies in Ranchi in the year 2014. The second phase of anti rabies drive event was kicked off on Friday.
Hope and Animal Trust Foundation is presently working in collaboration with Ranchi Municipal Corporation, Animal Husbandry Department and other international organisations in the city to combat rabies.
Citing details of the programme, Hope and Animal Trust Foundation president, Praveen Ohal said, “According to reports, Ranchi has some 40,000 stray dogs out of which we have sterilised half. World Health Organisation has declared 104 cities as rabies-free. Ranchi may join an elite league of foreign nations soon, if we receive support from local people. The State Animal Husbandry Department, RMC and few others are supporting the mission.”
The second year of the Mission Rabies Ranchi programme began with a mass vaccination drive targeting around 5,000 dogs with an aim of achieving at least 70 per cent vaccination coverage in each ward targeted. Four vaccination teams, comprising locally employed vets and animal handlers, as well as international veterinary volunteers, participated in mass vaccine drive.
Addressing people about rabies at P P Compound Sakshi Dhoni, said, “We need to create awareness regarding the rabies drive among the denizens and also need to highlight its importance. Government support is essential in the matter. Moreover, even those people who have their own pets need to be aware about rabies.”
Following a pilot programme in September 2013, with the support of Animal Husbandry Department and RMC, Mission Rabies ran a twelve months campaign between November 2014 and October 2015 to vaccinate at least 70 per cent of the dogs in Ranchi. During the first year of the programme, the Mission Rabies Ranchi programme vaccinated over 24,000 dogs, covering all 55 wards of the city, and educated over 60,000 children in rabies risk reduction.
“Mission Rabies provides a ‘Rabies Hotline’ so that members of the public can report suspected rabies cases to the team, who will then respond to ensure public safety by catching and testing these dogs, and providing information on post-exposure prophylaxis to anyone who has been bitten. The hotline number is 9431171929,” added Ohal.