14 DAY TRIAL // According to a report released just yesterday, April 16, rabies transmitted by dogs kills an astounding 59,000 people on a yearly basis. As detailed by researchers with the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, this figure works out to an average daily death toll of 160.
What's a tad frustrating is that rabies kills this many people annually despite the fact that existing canine and human vaccines make this viral disease 100% preventable. Otherwise put, keeping rabies from claiming any more victims is well within reach.
It's all about the money
The thing about current canine and human rabies vaccines is that, as effective as they might be, they are worth absolutely zilch if not made available to the people who need them. Which brings us to the topic of money, the eternal world spinner.
As explained by researcher Louis Nel and his colleagues at the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, the majority of the people killed by this deadly viral disease in this day and age live in poor regions in Africa and in Asia, especially in India.
This is because both in Africa and in Asia the number of dogs vaccinated against rabies is currently far below the rate needed to stop the disease from spreading and moving on to claiming human lives.
True, some money are being spent on rabies vaccines. Still, it looks like spending a tad more makes sense not just when it comes to cutting the number of lives lost to this disease, but also financially-wise, Eurek Alert explains.
It is estimated that rabies currently costs the global economy about $8.6 billion (approximately €8 billion) yearly, what with the premature deaths it causes and the loss of income that goes with having people infected with this disease.
The best way to tackle rabies
Specialists say that, although vaccinating people can also prove fruitful, evidence indicates that, when it comes to tackling this viral disease, the best way to go is to invest in keeping dogs safe from it first and foremost.
Thus, the report produced by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control this past Thursday shows that the countries where rabies is no longer an issue are the ones that have made hefty investments in vaccinating dogs against it.
“This ground-breaking study is an essential step towards improved control and eventual elimination of rabies. An understanding of the actual burden helps us determine and advocate for the resources needed to tackle this fatal disease,” specialist Louis Nel wished to stress.