‘No Rabies case reported at Central Veterinary Hospital since Nov 2021’

Srinagar, Dec 09: Dr Qazi Mudasir spends long hours each day conducting surgeries, administering vaccines and dispensing medicines at Central Veterinary Hospital Srinagar, where 200 ailing animals are treated every day.
“This includes pets and strays. We provide them with the best possible treatment here. Animals get their first vaccination dose at the age of three months, and that is followed by a booster dose. After which they should be vaccinated annually. This will prevent rabies,” said Dr Mudasir.
The vaccination is for every animal. There has not been a single case of rabies reported at the hospital since November 2021, he said. For that the 37-year-old veterinary doctor was recently awarded ‘Veterinary Clinic Champion’ by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), a leading international non-profit that works towards eliminating rabies by 2030.
The Animal Husbandry Department in J&K has been educating people about the role of prophylactic and post bite anti-rabies vaccination in animals.
The Department, as per the officials, has ensured that anti rabies vaccination is available in every veterinary hospital at subsidised rates.
The Government provides each dose of vaccine at a subsidised rate Rs 4.72 while in the market each dose costs Rs 150-Rs 250.
According to Dr Mudasir, anyone who visits their hospital, they make them aware about this disease and ensure that every animal that reaches the hospital gets vaccinated.
Mudasir and his other colleagues create awareness about canine behaviour and provide shelter for strays.
“The voiceless creatures deserve as much love and care as humans,” says Mudasir.
He has so far performed more than 5,000 prophylactic anti-rabies vaccinations in canines and felines, and over 2200 post bite anti-rabies vaccinations in animals having history of dog and cat bites that has reduced the incidence of rabies to almost nil in the area.