Tamil Nadu Rolls Out 24/7 Anti‑Rabies Vaccination at PHCs Amid Rising Dog‑Bite Cases
Chennai, July 6, 2025 — In a decisive response to the alarming surge in dog-bite incidents and human rabies fatalities, the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Public Health has directed all Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to offer round‑the‑clock anti‑rabies vaccination services. This move ensures that even during night hours, at least a nurse will be on duty to administer both vaccines and rabies immunoglobulin (RIG), regardless of concerns over vial wastage .
The Rising Tide of Rabies Threat
The early months of 2025 have painted a stark picture:
- Over 300,000 dog‑bite cases and 18 confirmed rabies deaths have been recorded newindianexpress.com.
- In comparison, 2024 witnessed approximately 480,000 bites and 24 deaths, building on a trajectory that saw 441,000 bites and 18 deaths in 2023 timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
This trend reflects a deepening public health crisis. Investigative reporting has highlighted severe lapses at PHCs—premature midday closures and lack of both ARV and critical RIG supplies—resulting in staff administering Tetanus Toxoid instead of the life-saving rabies prophylaxis thenewsminute.com
Operational Challenges & Government Response
Key issues identified:
- PHCs limiting ARV administration to morning hours because multi-dose vials need discarding after six hours of opening timesofindia.indiatimes.com
- RIG, essential for category III bites, often unavailable, compromising complete post‑exposure prophylaxis thenewsminute.com
Official reassurance:
- PHC staff have been instructed to remain on duty and not refuse or delay ARV/RIG, even at night en.themooknayak.com
- Dr. T. S. Selvavinayagam stressed that “prompt and correct PEP is critical,” indicating that vaccine wastage is acceptable to save lives newindianexpress.com
- Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation is reportedly set to introduce single-dose vials to minimize wastage and simplify logistics timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
Systemic Gaps & Long-Term Measures
PHC operational hours and inconsistent availability of ARV/RIG remain pressing concerns, socialnews.xyz. Public knowledge gaps compound the problem, including misconceptions like “visible bleeding” being necessary to warrant vaccine treatment.
In addition, the MeResidential ABC (Animal Birth Control) program in Chennai has faced temporary interruptions due to facility maintenance—coinciding with an estimated stray dog population of 181,000, only 27% of which are sterilized—leading to greater bite incidents socialnews.xyz.
Strategic Blueprint
Health authorities are pursuing a multi-pronged response:
- Continuous ARV/RIG availability – 24×7 vaccination at all PHCs.
- Deployment of single‑dose vials to reduce waste and enhance readiness.
- Strengthening staff training – clear protocols for bite categorization and timely PEP.
- Public education campaigns – dispelling myths and raising awareness of rabies risk.
- Integrated Animal Control Strategies – scaling up ABC efforts and drawing inspiration from Goa, which has remained rabies-free since 2017 through sustained vaccination and sterilization initiatives
Why It Matters
Rabies remains nearly 100% fatal once symptoms manifest. The uptick in cases highlights broader lapses in public health infrastructure—ranging from stock management to staff protocols and public awareness. The state’s push for round-the-clock access, single-dose vials, and aggressive sterilization programs underscores a strategic pivot aimed at breaking the cycle.
Tamil Nadu's proactive posture now positions it to pivot from reactive crisis handling to proactive elimination—if these directives translate into consistent ground-level implementation, particularly amid the increasing stray dog population.
Published by: Connecting.Social – The Integrity News Portal
Sources: socialnews.xyz, timesofindia.indiatimes.com, newindianexpress.com, en.themooknayak.com, and others.
Date: July 6, 2025
