A dog in Phong Thổ, Lai Châu is given a rabies vaccination. — VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Thuỳ

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has told localities to establish task forces directly responsible for inspecting and urging localities with low rabies vaccination rates for dogs and cats and areas with many deaths due to rabies to expand the vaccine coverage.

On March 14, the Prime Minister issued Directive No. 22/CĐ-TTg regarding the concentrated implementation of rabies prevention and control measures.

Despite the Prime Minister's Directive No. 11/CT-TTg in April 2023 reinforcing urgent measures for rabies prevention and control, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) reported 82 deaths from rabies in 30 provinces and cities in 2023. A total of 674,888 individuals were bitten by animals, marking a 45 per cent increase from 2022, predominantly by dogs (80 per cent), cats (18 per cent), and other animals like monkeys, rats and bats.

In the first two months of 2024, there have been 18 rabies-related deaths in 14 provinces and cities, up by nine cases from the same period in 2023. Nearly 70,000 people required rabies prophylaxis treatment during this period, an 11 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023. Notably, a recent incident in Quảng Ninh Province involved a rabid dog biting 14 students and teachers at a school.

To mitigate the risk of escalating rabies cases and ensure the safety of the population, the PM urged provincial people's committees and agencies to enforce rabies prevention and control measures diligently, in line with veterinary and infectious disease prevention laws.

Efforts should particularly target the elimination of wild animals, notably wild dogs and cats, which pose a significant threat to public safety.

According to the PM, chairpersons of the people's committees of provinces and cities are responsible for strict handling of collectives, individuals and heads of agencies at all levels who are subjective, negligent in directing rabies prevention and control work, especially in places with many cases of deaths due to rabies, such as Gia Lai, Đắk Lắk, Bình Phước, Bến Tre, Nghệ An, Điện Biên and areas where the rabies vaccination rate for the total dog population is below 10 per cent, such as Quảng Bình, Hậu Giang, Bình Định and Quảng Nam.

The Prime Minister also requested localities to establish task forces directly responsible for inspecting and urging localities with low rates of rabies vaccination for dogs and cats and areas with many deaths due to rabies; to implement rabies vaccination and control work and manage dog and cat populations.

The MARD is responsible for leading and coordinating nationwide communication campaigns on dog, cat, and other animal management to raise awareness of rabies prevention measures. It will collaborate with international partners, and establish inspection teams to oversee rabies prevention in high-risk areas. Additionally, the MARD will review and propose legal amendments to improve enforcement and address issues such as unmanaged roaming dogs and cats.

The Ministry of Health is responsible for consolidating the outcomes of rabies prevention and control efforts concerning both humans and animals annually, providing timely advice and proposing measures for rabies prevention and control when necessary.

As per the directive, the Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Health to oversee specialised localities and units regarding technical guidance, organisational matters, implementation, inspection, and monitoring of rabies vaccinations and rabies immune serum for humans.

The Ministry of Education and Training is assigned the duty of leading and collaborating with ministries and localities to develop and execute educational campaigns on rabies prevention and control in schools.

The Ministry of Information and Communications is tasked with guiding press agencies, media outlets, central radio stations, and local broadcasting systems to conduct extensive communication activities aimed at enhancing public awareness and responsibility regarding the management of dogs, cats, and other animals, including vaccination and rabies prevention and control.

The Ministry of Public Security would collaborate with provincial people's committees and centrally-run cities to actively monitor the situation, promptly investigate, and rigorously address cases where dog owners fail to adhere to regulations on dog raising and management, resulting in serious consequences.

The Government Office oversees and encourages the implementation of the directive in accordance with its functions and assigned responsibilities. — VNS