**Summary:**
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is implementing the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) to strengthen rabies treatment and prevention nationwide. A key focus is enhanced surveillance of animal bites and rabies cases across all States and Union Territories (UTs) via the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP). The National Health Mission (NHM) provides budgetary support to States/UTs for NRCP implementation, encompassing healthcare staff training, rabies vaccine procurement, Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials, data management, monitoring, and the establishment of Model Anti-Rabies Clinics with wound-washing facilities. Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) and Anti-Rabies Serum/Rabies Immunoglobulin (ARS/RIG) are provided free of cost at public health facilities under the NHM's National Free Drug Initiative and are included in both National and State Essential Drug Lists. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) supports rabies control through awareness campaigns, lab strengthening, guidelines, and training materials. To enhance veterinary sector involvement, the National One Health Programme for Prevention and Control of Zoonosis has established committees in all States and is strengthening veterinary laboratories for animal rabies diagnosis. Dog bite protocols, IEC materials, and training videos on animal bite management have been developed and disseminated to the public and healthcare professionals. This information was presented by the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri. Prataprao Jadhav, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on August 19, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for health policy.
National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP): A program in India focused on the control and prevention of rabies.
National Health Mission (NHM): A centrally sponsored scheme of the Indian government, aiming to address the health needs of under-served rural areas.
AntiRabies Vaccine (ARV): A vaccine used to prevent rabies in humans after exposure to the virus.
Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG): A medication used to prevent rabies after exposure, providing immediate antibodies against the virus.
National Free Drug Initiative: An initiative under NHM to provide essential medicines, including ARV and RIG, free of cost in public health facilities.
Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP): A health information platform used by States and Union Territories in India to report data on animal bite cases and related deaths.
National One Health Programme For Prevention and Control of Zoonosis: A program to strengthen involvement of veterinary sector to prevent and control zoonotic diseases like rabies.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Steps taken to strengthen rabies treatment
Nationwide surveillance of animal bites and rabies
cases strengthened through NRCP
Government boosts rabies control through vaccines,
training, and model anti-rabies clinics
NHM ensures free access to Anti-Rabies vaccine
and Rabies Immunoglobulin under National Free
Drug Initiative
‘One Health’ programme enhances animal rabies
diagnosis through veterinary labs
Posted On: 19 AUG 2025 3:06PM by PIB Delhi
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare through National Rabies Control Program (NRCP) is undertaking
strengthening of surveillance of all animal bites in all States/UTs. Data on dog and other animal bite cases and
related deaths are reported by all States/UTs, through Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP).
Under the National Health Mission (NHM), States and UTs are supported through budgetary provisions for
the implementation of the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP). Funding includes capacity building of
healthcare staff, procurement of rabies vaccines, printing of Information, Education, and Communication
(IEC) materials on rabies and dog-bite prevention, data entry support, review meetings, monitoring and
surveillance, and establishment of Model Anti-Rabies Clinics and wound-washing facilities.
Life-saving drugs such as Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) and Anti-Rabies Serum (ARS)/Rabies Immunoglobulin
(RIG) are provided free of cost in the public health facilities under National Free Drug Initiative of NHM.
These drugs are also included in both the National and State Essential Drug Lists.
Also under Central Sector component, National Centre for Disease Control implements rabies control
activities through awareness, lab strengthening, guidelines and training materials etc.
Further to strengthen involvement of veterinary sector under “National One Health Programme For Prevention
and Control of Zoonosis” committees have been formed in all States and veterinary laboratories to strengthen
diagnosis of animal Rabies.
To create awareness among public and healthcare professionals Dog bite protocols, IEC materials, and trainingvideos on the management of animal bite/dog bite cases have been created and disseminated across the
country.
The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri. Prataprao Jadhav stated this in a written
reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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MV
HFW/ PQ/Steps being taken to strengthen rabies treatment/19 August2025/2
(Release ID: 2157880)