Rabies and National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP)

About Rabies

• Rabies is a zoonotic viral disease that affects the central nervous system.
• Cause: Rabies is caused by the Rabies virus (RABV), an RNA virus present in the saliva of infected animals.
• Symptoms: Initial symptoms include fever, pain and unusual tingling, pricking or burning at the wound site.
  • Later, furious or paralytic rabies may occur.
• Transmission: It spreads through the saliva of infected animals, usually through bites, scratches or contact with mucosa or open wounds.
• Incubation Period: The incubation period is usually 2–3 months, but it may range from one week to one year.
• Prevention: Immediate wound washing with soap and water, followed by timely post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), helps prevent rabies.
• Treatment: Dog vaccination stops transmission at source.
  • There is no cure once clinical symptoms appear.

WHO’s Criteria for Validation

• WHO validation recognises that a country has eliminated dog-transmitted human rabies and consequently through the absence of human deaths from the disease for at least two years, while demonstrating the capacity to prevent transmission from re-emerging.
• A two-pronged strategy is advocated globally —
  • vaccinating dogs to curb the disease at source and  using post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) after a bite.
    • PEP consists of thoroughly washing the bite area with water and soap, administering a full course of human rabies vaccine, and whenever necessary, rabies immunoglobulins.

About National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP)

• The National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) was approved in 2013 during the 12th Five Year Plan.
• Type: NRCP is a Central Sector Scheme under the umbrella of NHM (National Health Mission).
• Nodal Agency: The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) implements the human health component.
• Aim: To reduce mortality due to Rabies among human beings and progressively achieve the Global Target of reducing deaths due to Rabies to “Zero by the year 2030”
• Funding: Since 2019–20, State and District human-health activities are funded through the National Health Mission’s planning and implementation mechanism.
• Key Features:
  • Two Components: NRCP has both human health and animal health components.
  • Human Health Component: It is implemented in all States and UTs by the National Centre for Disease Control.
  • Animal Health Component: It is being pilot tested in Haryana and Chennai under the Animal Welfare Board of India.
  • Capacity Building: The programme provides training to healthcare professionals on animal-bite management and rabies PEP.
  • Surveillance and Awareness: It strengthens rabies surveillance, laboratory diagnosis and community awareness through communication and social mobilization.