According to the World Health Organization, India accounts for 36% of rabies deaths worldwide, with approximately 18,000 to 20,000 deaths from the disease each year.1 To address this major public health crisis, Boehringer Ingelheim India has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Pet Practitioners Association of Mumbai (PPAM), a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to eliminating rabies in the Greater Mumbai region.
RegisteredIMAGE / stock.adobe.com
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/0vv8moc6/dvm360/0f3f9c14e80521bd24c587890ddfcb2c3afbdf97-6707x4471.jpg?fit=crop&auto=format)
A company outing2 said the “Stop Rabies” initiative is part of India’s National Action Plan for the elimination of dog-borne rabies by 2030. Boehringer Ingelheim India has committed to donating 30 000 doses of its anti-rabies vaccine, Rabisin (inactivated and adjuvanted rabies glycoprotein) for free vaccination camps which will be organized with the support of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The company will also conduct a month-long awareness campaign in collaboration with PPAM in schools and communities to educate the public about rabies prevention and the human-animal bond.
The signing of the MoU took place recently in Mumbai between PPAM represented by Dhananjay Bapat, BVSc & AH, Chairman of PPAM and Makrand Chavan, BVSc & AH, MVSc, Secretary of PPAM; and Boehringer Ingelheim India represented by Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Managing Director and Head of Human Pharmacy and Vinod Gopal, DVM, MBA, Director – Country Head, Animal Health.
“Rabies, a vaccine-preventable disease, continues to be a public health problem,” Gopal said.2 “Adopting the One Health approach will be key to securing a healthier future for all. Our Stop Rabies initiative with PPAM and BMC is a step in this direction, demonstrating our commitment to the welfare of humans and neglected dogs and cats.”
“Eliminating rabies in Mumbai is critical to public health. The Stop Rabies initiative demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships and empowers Mumbai to move closer to eradicating rabies,” Bapat added in the statement.
The references
- Rage in India. World Health Organization. Accessed September 25, 2023. https://www.who.int/india/health-topics/rabies
- Boehringer Ingelheim India partners with the Pet Practitioners Association of Mumbai (PPAM) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to “Stop Rabies” in Mumbai. Press release. Boehringer Ingelheim India. September 25, 2023. Accessed September 25, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/boehringer-ingelheim-india-joins-forces-with-pet-practitioners-association-of-mumbai-ppam – et-brihanmumbai-municipal-corporation-bmc-to-stop-rabies-in-mumbai-301937501.html