The crux of Pakistan's prolonged rabies vaccine shortage: A rising mortal threat in the COVID‐19 pandemic

Siddiqui, Adeel; Ahmed, Aziza; Tanveer, Maria; Arshad, Asma

doi:10.1002/jmv.27024

Cited by 11 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 6 publications

(5 reference statements)

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“…Field staff were overloaded with COVID-19 related duties, and rabies was once again neglected ( 31 ). Additionally, due to prioritization failure and supply chain disruption, many remote provinces, where rabies is often widespread ( 5 , 12 ), faced vaccine shortage ( 31 , 32 ). Due to lockdowns, fewer people were leaving home, and increased difficulty in travel to and from hospitals or clinics led to decrease in identification of suspected rabid dogs, slower dispatch of rabies response teams, and delayed removal of suspected rabid dogs ( 30 ).…”

Section: Covid-19 Pandemicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Continued Failure of Rabies Elimination—Consideration of Challenges in Applying the One Health Approach

Ghai

Hemachudha

2022

Front. Vet. Sci.

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Section: Covid-19 Pandemicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Continued Failure of Rabies Elimination—Consideration of Challenges in Applying the One Health Approach

Ghai

Hemachudha

2022

Front. Vet. Sci.

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“…In South Asian countries, the number of unvaccinated dogs is on the rise, and unsatisfactory sanitation increases the incidence of rabies to a further degree [ 6 ] . Moreover, the rate of the population, particularly men and children, being bitten by a rabid dog has been observed to raise during summer [ 7 ] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rabies: Perils and Prevention, an Insight into Practices and Perception in Residents of Pakistan

Shaikh

Zaid

Shaikh

et al. 2023

IBJ

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Background: There is a sheer lack of knowledge in treating rabies in Pakistan. To decrease the number of victims every year, immunization and awareness programs are the basic necessities of Pakistani population. The aim of this study was to highlight the lack of learning strategies and how to overcome this problem, so as to eliminate rabies. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 692 respondents, aged 8-50 years, in Karachi city of Pakistan from January 2022 to June 2022. The study was based on demographic characteristics and basic knowledge of rabies, mode of transmission, clinical signs, and range of animal host species. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to know the risk factor of rabies among different age groups, marital status, occupation, etc. Results: Results revealed that all the age groups were at risk of the wrong knowledge about rabies, odds = 1.182 and odds = 1.775 for 20-30 and 31-40 years of age, respectively; however, 31-40 years were at the high risk of showing odds=3.597 (95% C.I 1.621-7.983). The correlation of occupation was also checked with rabies knowledge. Only doctors (odds = 1.396) and students (odds = 1.955) showed their unawareness about rabies. Conclusion: This study highlights the grave situation that holds the country in the form of rabies. Through this study we aspire to raise awareness regarding the transmission, spread, and control of rabies.

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“…Modelling from Haiti suggested that restarting dog vaccination in 2021 compared to 2022 would avert almost 300 human rabies deaths and prevent over 6,000 human rabies exposures over the next five years (14). Concerns were reported about chronic shortages of human rabies vaccines in Pakistan being exacerbated by the pandemic (15). While in November 2020, the first rabies death was recorded in Bhutan since 2016 (a 3-year-old girl) -stressing the need for timely post-exposure vaccination, even during these exceptional times (16).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Canine Rabies Control Efforts: A Mixed-Methods Study of Observations About the Present and Lessons for the Future

Nadal

Abela-Ridder²,

Beeching³

et al. 2022

Front. Trop. Dis

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Achieving zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies has been set as a global target for 2030. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted essential health services across the world, with disproportionate impacts on Neglected Tropical Diseases. Through a mixed-method study using stakeholder questionnaires and in-depth interviews, we examined the scale and nature of disruption from the first year of the pandemic to rabies control programs, and reflected on lessons for the future. Study participants included practitioners and policymakers working in government, academia, international organizations, and the pharmaceutical industry across 48 countries, mainly in Africa and Asia. Mass dog vaccination, essential to rabies control, was most heavily impacted and in 2020, was carried out as planned in just 5% of surveyed countries. Access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) also decreased due to fear of COVID-19 infection and difficulties in reaching health care centers. Dog vaccination and PEP delivery suffered from disruptions to the importation and distribution of vaccines. School closures affected rabies awareness activities and, when public events moved online, they could not reach the most disadvantaged groups. Surveillance, already weak, was severely disrupted by movement restrictions which, together with reduced demand for PEP, exacerbated under-reporting. Participants reported growing complaints around free-roaming dogs, with numbers likely to have increased in some settings. In some countries, dog rabies outbreaks and human rabies cases were already ascribed to the pandemic, but further impacts are likely still to be realized. Meanwhile, decreased demand for PEP from COVID-19 constraints could lead to reduced procurement in future. In the wake of post-COVID-19 demands on health services, there is an opportunity for veterinary services to show leadership in progressing the Zero by 30 agenda, particularly in scaling up mass dog vaccination within and across countries, as well as potential to make better use of community-based vaccinators. Countries must further secure stable procurement of dog and human vaccines, classifying them as essential goods prioritized for import and where needed, through sharing of stocks. Dedicated telemedicine services also show promise, for example through fostering participatory disease surveillance, including Integrated Bite Case Management, and delivering up-to-date instructions on the closest sources of PEP.

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The crux of Pakistan's prolonged rabies vaccine shortage: A rising mortal threat in the COVID‐19 pandemic

Cited by 11 publications

References 6 publications

Continued Failure of Rabies Elimination—Consideration of Challenges in Applying the One Health Approach

Continued Failure of Rabies Elimination—Consideration of Challenges in Applying the One Health Approach

Rabies: Perils and Prevention, an Insight into Practices and Perception in Residents of Pakistan

The Impact of the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Canine Rabies Control Efforts: A Mixed-Methods Study of Observations About the Present and Lessons for the Future

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