Bhubaneswar, Mar 31: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched a comprehensive mass dog vaccination campaign as part of its goal to make the city free from rabies. The programme commenced on Monday across all BMC wards, with Mayor Sulochana Das and BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana inaugurating the initiative.
The campaign is being conducted under a tripartite agreement signed earlier in January between BMC, Mission Rabies and WVS India for technical assistance, and OETI for scientific guidance. A committee has been formed in accordance with the National Rabies Prevention and Control Guidelines (NRPCG) to oversee operations.
The mass dog vaccination (MDV) drive is expected to take 75 to 90 days. Trained dog catchers will capture stray dogs using nets or by hand and administer anti-rabies vaccines. Vaccinated dogs will be marked with non-toxic biological identifiers for easy identification.
A mobile app developed by Mission Rabies-WVS will enable real-time data collection, including vaccination details and release of dogs back into their territories. Post-vaccination monitoring will also be undertaken to track the level of antibodies developed in the dogs. Blood samples will be sent to the KVAFS-UCV Rabies Diagnostic Laboratory, Veterinary College, Bangalore-the only lab in India certified by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) for rabies testing.
Deputy Mayor Manjulata Khan, Biranchi Narayan Mahasupakar (Chairman of the Peripheral Standing Committee), Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahu, Kailash Chandra Das, ABC Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Das, Nodal Officer Dr. Prashant Kumar Sikka, and BMC veterinarians Dr. Devi Prasad Kund and Dr. Deepak Bindhani were present at the programme. Dog catchers and field staff also participated in the vaccination drive.
This year, approximately 37,000 dogs are planned to be vaccinated through the MDV programme, with an additional 3,000 dogs through ABC operations between April and June, bringing the total target to 40,000 dogs. Authorities emphasised that at least 70% of the dog population must be vaccinated to ensure effective immunity against rabies.
