Bohol anti-rabies program Impress int’l experts

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 16, (PIA) -- WITH all the advances in research and technology, rabies experts from a wide range of disciplines of various countries agree that Bohol’s rabies program which advances collaboration among communities still works better.

At the recent International Meeting of Rabies Experts held at the Bohol Beach Club, both World Health Organization (WHO) authorities and Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) admit Bohol has shown that an effective formula far from the ones advanced by technology and research.

The international experts discussed anti-rabies initiatives and new developments in research to assess anti-rabies control program across the globe.

The meeting also immersed the experts to the Bohol Rabies Prevention and Elimination Program which led them to aver the possibility of rabies elimination with the replication of the Bohol model.

Heaping praises for Bohol, Doctors Thomas Mueller of the WHO Collaborating Center for Rabies Reference and Research and Dr. Deborah Briggs, Executive Director of the GARC, both leaders of multi-disciplined rabies control centers press that a cost analysis on the disease cure is way too high for poor countries to deliver.

At the Kapihan sa PIA Thuirsday, Dr. Briggs shared that the family of the first human rabies survivor, who was at the meeting had to spend more than a million dollars to get the appropriate treatment and medications.

Dr. Mary Elizabeth Miranda, GARC Asian Coordinator at the radio forum on the air stressed that in Asian countries, the Bohol model for rabies control presents hope for a meaningful and effective approach to controlling the disease.

Rabies, a disease mainly caused by Lyssavirus which when transmitted finds its way to the central nervous system, which makes it almost always fatal, Dr. Briggs said.

According to www.rabies-symptoms.org., symptoms usually develop between 20 and 60 days after exposure.

But, Dr. Miranda, who has been into disease research across Asia said the longest incubation period for rabies that she knows of, is 17 years.

In animals, symptoms manifest as being aggressive, combative, and highly sensitive to touch and other kinds of stimulation as they can be vicious.

Rabies symptoms in humans, are similar. After a symptom-free incubation period, the patient complains of malaise, loss of appetite, fatigue, headache, and fever, the website said.

For dog bites, which are generally the causes of rabies in humans, first aid should be washing the bite would with soap and running water and immediately getting the vaccines, Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz said.

During the next 17 days, the biting dog has to be observed, if it manifests signs of rabies, then the patient has to get the full dose of vaccines, which would mean the owners of the biting dog paying for the vaccines and face sanctions according to the provincial ordinance. (Rey Anthony Chiu)