Awareness on dog bites need of the hour: Minister

Hyderabad: Stating that people should be cautious and remain alert even before diseases strike, Health Minister C Laxma Reddy said the health personnel and private hospitals should bring about awareness among the public about keeping good health. The Health Minister was inaugurating Hyderabad Dog Bite Centre and Research Institute at Domalguda near Indira Park here on Sunday. BJP MLA G Kishan Reddy was the chief guest and Kavadiguda corporator Lasya Nandita lighted the lamp. Speaking on the occasion, Laxma Reddy said some greedy doctors in Telangana State were performing needless surgical operations for money’s sake due to the lack of awareness among people.

He exhorted the managements of private hospitals to serve people selflessly. The Minister said in spite of several measures taken by the government, there was lack of awareness about the rabies. There was a need to create awareness about the measures to be taken after a dog bite, he said, adding educational activities should be conducted for paramedical staff and doctors in both private and government sectors, as the staff were busy with other medical problems of the patients.

The Hyderabad Dog Bite Centre and Research Institute said Rabies was an ancient disease in the world and India carries the maximum burden of Rabies. “Dog is the main reservoir of rabies and almost 99 percent of people dying of rabies in the world are exposed to dogs. Any mammal can get the disease and can transmit it to human beings,” it added.The Word Health Organization (WHO) has prepared a global framework for the elimination of rabies by 2030. In Hyderabad alone over 100 people are exposed to animal bites every day and 95 percent of them are due to dog bites. Most of the patients visit the government clinics and some go to private doctors. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has been taking measures to control dog population in the city and vaccinateing them.