Asia-Pacific Rabies Meeting Bangkok, Thailand, 16–18 July 2024
Overview
Rabies, despite being entirely preventable, remains a significant public health concern in the Asia-Pacific Region. The disease is predominantly transmitted by domestic dogs; it is almost invariably fatal once clinical signs appear. Collaborative efforts to eliminate rabies in the Region are based on multisectoral coordination. Successful rabies control includes (i) prompt access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) following an exposure, (ii) mass dog vaccination to prevent disease transmission at its source; and (iii) community awareness and engagement.
The general objective of the meeting was to strengthen, innovate and sustain intersectoral coordination and collaboration between human and animal health sectors to accelerate prevention, control and elimination of dog-mediated human rabies through the One Health approach in the Asia-Pacific region, and achieve the goal of Zero by 2030.
More specific objectives included
- Assess progress: Examine rabies programmes and recommendations from previous regional Tripartite rabies meetings.
- Share updates: Discuss new strategies and tools from the global and regional Tripartite and partners.
- Maintain momentum: Highlight innovative measures, solutions and research gaps to facilitate knowledge-sharing among national programme managers and partners across the sectors, countries and Regions.
- Determine priority actions: Strengthen intersectoral coordination to accelerate the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies in the Asia-Pacific Region.
