To strengthen surveillance and control measures, the Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department has officially declared human rabies a notifiable disease in J&K. “In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 (Act No 3 of 1897), the Lieutenant Governor of J&K hereby declares ‘human rabies’ as a ‘notifiable disease’ in J&K,” reads an official order issued by Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah. In this regard, all suspected, probable, and confirmed cases of human rabies have to be reported to the Chief Medical Officer of the concerned district and the State Nodal Officer of the National Rabies Control Program (NRCP).
Rabies is an acute virus that affects all warm-blooded animals including humans and is caused by animal bites having extremely high fatality rate. According to the notification, to achieve the WHO goal of zero deaths due to human rabies, it is important to establish a strong surveillance and disease reporting system so that the exact magnitude of the disease can be assured. This decision follows a directive from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, which in a letter dated September 20, 2021, urged all states and union territories to make human rabies a notifiable disease.
“The goal is to ensure mandatory reporting from all healthcare facilities, enabling effective contact tracing and timely prophylactic measures to prevent further infections,” the notif.
