September 8: World Rabies Day 2007
Working Together to Stop the Ongoing Tragedy of Rabies
An Initiative of the Alliance for Rabies Control
Although rabies is 100% preventable, this fearful disease still claims over 55,000 human lives annually, most of which are children. None of these deaths need have occurred as all of the tools required to prevent rabies are available. Rabies is present throughout the world with over 90% of human deaths occur in Asia and Africa where canine rabies is endemic and most victims die after being bitten by an infected dog.
It is time that we all come together to raise attention as to this ongoing tragedy. The concept of a “WORLD RABIES DAY” was created to garner the much needed support to begin to tackle rabies prevention and control efforts globally.
Our goal is to engage 55,000 people across the world to take action on this day, one person participating for every victim of rabies that died needlessly during the year. The first WORLD RABIES DAY is planned to take place on September 8, 2007. As a member of the international community of public health, we are urging you to join forces with us to make a difference in rabies prevention!
We encourage you to join us on September 8, 2007 by participating in the race, sponsoring a runner or walker, hosting a similar event in your organization or city, speaking out about the tragedy of rabies, and or otherwise donating to this worthwhile cause to bring an end to the suffering of rabies.
The Alliance for Rabies Control
The Alliance brings together the leading public and private expertise in the field of rabies to alleviate the burden of rabies across the developing world. The Alliance aims to raise global awareness as to the continuing and unnecessary human death toll attributed to rabies, improve funding for local rabies prevention initiatives and increase educational awareness pertaining to rabies prevention programs throughout the world.
One of the Alliance’s first initiatives is to secure international support to declare a “World Rabies Day” celebrated by various events throughout the world including a Race for Rabies (R4R), which will be an annual advocacy event, designed to reach out and engage the general public in discussion and debate on the issue of rabies prevention.
Run for Rabies 2007
The R4R is an initiative designed to capture the attention of the world and focus attention on the need to increase global awareness of rabies, improve funding to support rabies education as well as canine control and vaccination programs in rabies endemic countries.
The R4R will unite Veterinary and Medical professionals and students, their friends and supporters and organizations involved in animal and human health. Other organizations that will be involved include animal welfare organizations, animal conservation and children’s health communities.
The Alliance will provide overall coordination and will work with partners worldwide to ensure the success of the initiative. The Alliance will develop and provide a package of advocacy materials to support the individual events. Materials will be available online through a dedicated website and also offline through the Alliance and regional partners. The Alliance will establish media partnerships to raise the profile of the local events within the global R4R initiative.
The Alliancewill also facilitate fundraising activities for individual runners/walkers on the Race against Rabies. Individual donations will be put towards global rabies prevention education and canine vaccination and control programs focusing on a ‘one medicine’ approach. The Alliancewill ensure correct monitoring of the programmes and all budgetary expenditures. Funds raised within individual African and Asian countries will be spent within those countries. The Alliance will provide a full report on the allocation of all funds spent.
Partnerships to Success
The Alliance is in the process of establishing a number of partnerships to contribute to the success of the initiative. The Alliance has already secured a partnership with the Student American Veterinary Medical Association in the United States (SAVMA) and is now approaching European student veterinary and medical associations to secure the maximum number of participants.
It is also in discussion with a number of corporate partners, who will participate and provide financial support towards the initiative. These include all the major groups involved in animal and human health.
All organizations concerned with rabies prevention are invited to participate in the Race against Rabies.
To get involved and for further information please contact us by email:
