Photo credit: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has partnered the World Health Organization (WHO) to support global human rabies vaccination for Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) as part of routine immunisation.
Chief Programme Officer for Gavi, Aurelia Nguyen, said the collaboration is meant to help countries ensure that human rabies vaccines are available to everyone who needs them, including vulnerable and marginalised communities.
Nguyen further said the first window, which is opening in July, 2024, is targeting Africa and Asia regions where 95% of global human rabies deaths occur.
Ministry of Health records show that Malawi records about 500 deaths from rabies.
This year alone, 30 rabies cases were reported in Blantyre and Zomba.
Rabies is a viral disease that causes severe inflammation of the brain and in 99% cases, it is transmitted to humans by rabid dogs.
By Alufisha Fischer
