Rabies mortality

This research paper presents a comprehensive analysis of human rabies deaths in Karnataka over the five-year period from 2020 to 2025, highlighting it as a persistent and preventable public health issue. Drawing on secondary data sources including IDSP, state health reports, and peer-reviewed studies, the paper reveals alarming trends in dog bite incidence, underreporting of deaths, and gaps in post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) availability across districts. The study emphasizes the disproportionate impact of rabies on rural children and marginalized populations, and identifies Kalaburagi, Ballari, Raichur, and Bengaluru as high-burden zones. Through the lens of the One Health approach, the research critiques the implementation of rabies control policies such as the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) and NAPRE 2030, and outlines specific barriers like stray dog overpopulation, low public awareness, and fragmented inter-departmental coordination. This paper proposes a set of evidence-based, state-specific policy recommendations, including universal access to free vaccines, digitized dog population monitoring, school-based rabies education, and the formation of a State Rabies Elimination Task Force. The findings reinforce the urgent need for Karnataka to adopt a robust, community-driven framework to meet India’s goal of zero dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030.