National Strategy for the Elimination of Canine Mediated Human Rabies in South Africa (2019-2030)
Rabies is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a neglected zoonotic disease and has an almost 100% case fatality rate in both humans and animals.
Despite this, rabies is 100% preventable through rabies awareness education, mass dog vaccinations and the timely and correct administration of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to people exposed to the rabies virus.
The elimination of canine mediated human rabies in South Africa requires a “One Health” approach – a collaborative, multi-sectoral, and trans-disciplinary approach working at local, regional and national level to achieve optimal health outcomes for people, animals and their shared environment.
Our strategy to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030 is based on the Global Framework For the Elimination of Dog Mediated Human Rabies (“Zero by 30”strategy) developed jointly by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal health (OIE), and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations(FAO) in Geneva in 2015.
Given adequate resources and political support, South Africa has the knowledge and practical experience to eliminate dog mediated human rabies by 2030.
See here the National Rabies Strategy: