Rabiesblueprint.com

Dear rabies fighters,

Rabies is one of the most dreadful zoonotic diseases with 100% of fatalities when clinical signs appear.

This disease causes the death of about 55 000 people each year, most of them in Africa and Asia and most of them under 15 years old … How come this disease is still so lively spreading around when its prevention is perfectly none and mastered and vaccines exist since 1885?

It is greatly time to get mobilized at worldwide scale! FAO through its animal health sector (AGAH) is joining its forces to WHO’s, OIE’s and other partners’ within the One Health strategy. Rabies is listed as a priority disease in west and central Africa epidemiology networks (RESEPI) and countries are trying to develop and implement surveillance and control activities. The FAO ECTAD UNIT in Bamako wanted to be part of the general effort and decided to support this wonderful initiative from the Alliance for Rabies Control. Thank to our combined action and know-how, these guide lines and portfolio of relevant information, data and case studies are made available in few clicks with a user friendly interface both in French and English. We invite all animal health and public health actors, and firstly the RESEPI members from West and Central Africa, to discover, use and share this tool in order to build integrated and sustainable policies for rabies control and eradication.

Yours sincerely,

Frederic Poudevigne
Coordonnateur Régional
Unité FAO ECTAD
Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre
CRSA de Bamako MALI