Rabies kills 1,000 annually in Pakistan despite being fully preventable

Despite being entirely preventable, rabies continues to claim around 1,000 lives every year in Pakistan, with children making up the vast majority of victims. The persistent toll highlighting deep gaps in awareness, access to care and timely response, particularly in rural and low-income communities.

As the world marks World Rabies Day on September 28 under the theme “Act Now: You, Me, Community,” health experts are calling for urgent collective action to stop preventable deaths.

“Rabies does not have to claim lives; it is 100% preventable if the right steps are taken immediately,” said Dr Mohammad Irfan Habib, Medical Director of ChildLife Foundation, in remarks to Dawn. He noted that children in Pakistan’s poorer areas are frequently attacked by stray dogs, and delays in receiving post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a series of life-saving vaccines often turn survivable injuries into tragedies.

“Every parent and caregiver must know the lifesaving steps: wash dog-bite wounds with soap and water for at least 15 minutes, seek emergency care without delay, and complete the vaccination schedule,” he stressed.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), rabies is a viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. Dogs are responsible for up to 99% of human cases, and children aged 5 to 14 are the most frequent victims.

The incubation period for rabies usually ranges from two to three months, though it can vary from a week to a year depending on the site of infection and the viral load. Early symptoms include fever, pain, and unusual tingling at the bite wound, eventually progressing to fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.

Globally, rabies imposes an economic burden of around USD 8.6 billion annually, according to WHO, through lost lives, healthcare costs, and the psychological trauma endured by affected families.

Public health specialists say the crisis in Pakistan highlights the urgent need for widespread vaccination drives, improved access to emergency care, and public education to prevent needless deaths.