World Rabies Day is annually observed on September 28 worldwide. The day is dedicated to raising awareness about rabies prevention and the progress made in combating this deadly disease.
- September 28, 2025, marks the 19th observance of World Rabies Day.
- The date also commemorates the anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur, the French scientist who developed the first rabies vaccine.
Exam Hints:
- What? World Rabies Day
- When? September 28, 2025
- Theme? “Act now: you, me, communities”
- Significance: Marks the 19th anniversary of World Rabies Day
- Established by? GARC with support from WHO
- First Observed: September 28, 2007
Theme:
Theme: This year’s theme is “Act Now: You, Me, Communities“, which is a call for “you”, “me”, and the “community” to take responsibilities, to work together, and drive real change.
Significance: For the first time in its 19-year history, WRD’s theme does not include the word “rabies”, showing how well-established this movement has become.
Background:
Established by: World Rabies Day was established in 2007 by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise awareness about rabies prevention and the progress made in its control.
First Observed: The first World Rabies Day was observed on September 28, 2007.
About Rabies:
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable,zoonotic viral disease that primarily affects the Central Nervous System (CNS) of humans and animals.
- It is caused by a Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) virus belonging to the Lyssavirus genus under the Rhabdoviridae family.
Geographical Spread: Rabies continues to be a major public health concern in more than 150 countries and territories, with the majority of cases reported from Asia and Africa.
Fatality Rate: The disease is 100% fatal once clinical symptoms appear, making it one of the deadliest infectious diseases known to humans.
Global Burden: Rabies disproportionately affects vulnerable communities. Estimates suggest approximately 59,000 human deaths annually, primarily affecting underserved communities in Africa and Asia.
- A person dies from rabies every nine minutes, most often following a bite from an infected dog.
Global “Zero by 30” Campaign:
Launched in: The Zero by 30 campaign was launched in 2015
Significance: It is a global strategic plan led by the WHO to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.
Co-ordinated by: This initiative is coordinated by major international bodies, including the WHO, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), united under the United Against Rabies Forum
About Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC):
Chairman- Dr. Hasmukh Adhia
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Dr. Andre Coetzer
Established-2007
Headquarters- Kansas, United States of America (USA)
