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Health department raises awareness about animal bite prevention
The event was conducted under the direction of district civil surgeon Dr Hitinder Kaur with this year’s theme being “All for 1, One Health for All”
: District health department marked World Rabies Day on Thursday with a focus on raising awareness about rabies prevention. The event was conducted under the direction of district civil surgeon Dr Hitinder Kaur with this year’s theme being “All for 1, One Health for All.”
Assistant civil surgeon Dr Vivek Kataria stressed the importance of understanding rabies, a life-threatening disease that can result from the bite of any infected animal. He advised that in the event of an animal bite, whether from a dog, cat, rat, monkey, bat, langur or a rabbit, immediate steps should be taken. These include washing the wound with soap and running clean water for 15 minutes and disinfecting the wound with alcohol or iodine solution. Individuals should refrain from applying substances like oil, pepper, lemon, leaves, or bandaging the wound, he said.
Kataria urged swift action, stating, “Get the patient to the nearest health centre as soon as possible and get the complete vaccination as per the doctor’s advice. Rabies vaccinations are available free of charge at district hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals, and community health centres.”
The public was urged to take precautions against animal bites and avoid carelessness in interactions with animals. Full vaccination is advised, and children were specifically cautioned against approaching stray animals or playing with them.
As part of the awareness campaign, information on rabies protection was provided to students at Government Senior Secondary School, Sekhewal. Principal Naresh Kumar and the school staff offered support in educating the students. Additionally, awareness camps were organised in district hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals, and community health centres to disseminate information on rabies prevention and treatment.
