NGO spreading rabies outbreak rumour - Health Ministry

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

An NGO is spreading a rumour about a possible outbreak of rabies to obtain Government funds. The Health Ministry offered Rs 47 million to this NGO to sterilize 75,000 female dogs but it sterilized only 53,000 and got away with the rest of the money, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman the Health Ministry stopped offering funds to this NGO after it cheated the Ministry.

"It has now bribed a certain electronic media and making the public panic over a possible `rabies outbreak' all over the country," the spokesman said.

"When a dog is injected a rabies injection, the immunity against rabies exist in the dog's body for two years. The ministry vaccinate dogs every year. There is an emergency stock of 3,000 rabies vaccines for dogs. Vaccines from previous lots are available all over the country. Another 1.3 million vaccines for dogs will arrive in Sri Lanka shortly," the spokesman said. The Ministry by October 31 distributed 800,000 rabies vaccines around the country. Around 630,000 dogs have already been vaccinated. Around 12,000 dogs have been vaccinated in the Kurunegala district. Kurunegala district is one of the most affected areas," he said. The spokesman said when a rabid dog is discovered, five km from where the animal is found should be fumigated.

The spokesman said the Ministry spent Rs 350 million in 2010 to sterilize dogs.

Around 693,000 male dogs and 53,000 female dogs have been sterilized this year. Only 36 rabies deaths have been reported from Sri Lanka by November first week, this year.