Sindh Health Experts Call for Stray Dog Relocation as Rabies Death Toll Rises

Rabies has claimed the lives of 42 individuals in Sindh, prompting health authorities to advocate for the removal of stray dogs from public spaces. The death count includes a 38-year-old man from Hyderabad, Javed, who succumbed to the disease at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) in Karachi. Javed's case began four months ago when he was bitten on the face by a dog, a fact that remains uncertain as to whether he received timely preventive care following the incident.

Another victim, a 52-year-old man from Nawabshah, Allahbad, died at Liaquat University Hospital in Hyderabad on Monday. Dr. Mirza Ali Azhar, a representative from the Pakistan Medical Association, expressed dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the situation, emphasizing that stray dogs continue to pose a threat to the public, including children.

Dr. Azhar called for the capture of stray dogs and their relocation to designated shelters where they could be sterilized and cared for, with the assistance of animal rights advocates and local authorities. A recent study by Indus Hospital revealed that 64% of dog-bite wound samples contained rabies virus RNA, underscoring the urgency of the issue.

Health experts cautioned that many rabies cases go unreported, as some victims opt for traditional remedies or faith healers instead of seeking medical treatment. They stressed the importance of public awareness, humane population control measures for stray dogs, and timely access to rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin at healthcare facilities.

Preventive measures, such as immediate wound cleaning and appropriate post-exposure treatment, can effectively avert rabies; however, once symptoms manifest, the disease is nearly always fatal.