The Health Ministry is launching two pilot projects on prevention and control of human rabies in four cities and leptospirosis control programme in three States, after the government had announced these two schemes in the budget for 2007-08.

The two projects, initially envisaged for five years have been revised in consultation with Integrated Finance Division and approval of the competent authority has now been obtained to carry out the projects on pilot basis for two years only. Project on prevention and control of human rabies is being carried out on pilot basis in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Pune, whereas the other project control programme is to be carried out on pilot basis in three States, sources said.

Though the new schemes were sanctioned for 200708, the modalities for the same have been worked out only recently and finally the ministry will be launching the projects very soon. Based on the outcome of the pilot projects, further budgetary provision would be requested to extend the same to other parts of the country in the coming years.

“The strategy for implementation of the respective pilot projects has been firmed up and the action plans have also been drawn for the current year. Nodal Officers in pilot cities/States have been identified and core groups have also been constituted for implementation of the projects. Draft MoU are under progress. Terms of reference for appointment of consultants and data entry operators under the projects have been formulated,” sources said.

A few years back, the Association for Prevention and Control of Rabies in India (APCRI) had done a national multi-centre survey with the help of 21 medical schools, covering a representative population of 10.8 million in mainland India. Hospital-based data were also obtained from the 22 infectious diseases hospitals. The annual incidence of human rabies was estimated to be 17,137. Based on expert group advice, an additional 20 per cent was added to this to include paralytic/atypical forms of rabies, providing an estimate of 20,565 or about two per 100000 population, according to the survey.

The key to success in the further reduction of rabies in India lies in improved coverage with modern rabies vaccines, canine rabies control, and intensifying public education about the disease, according to the APCRI.