GMC Srinagar commemorate World Rabies Day

On occasion of World Rabies Day on 28 September being commemorated every year in memory of Louis Pasteur who discovered Anti Rabies Vaccine, with an aim to raise awareness about rabies prevention and highlight progress in controlling this severe and highly fatal disease which kills over 55000 victims annually globally with major India sharing the maximum burden. On this year’s World Rabies Day theme “Breaking rabies boundaries” while highlights the need to go beyond the norm and break boundaries in the elimination of human rabies, which is particularly transmitted by dogs, the Department of Community Medicine Government Medical College, Srinagar conducted multiple impactful events which include CME cum training sessions for medical staff and paramedical students and poster competitions. The main program was held at UPHC Nishat which is urban health training centre of Community Medicine Department which was inaugurated by Prof. Iffat Hassan, Principal/ Dean GMC Srinagar in presence of Dr. S. Muhammad Salim Khan, Professor and HOD, Dr. Inaamul Haq, Dr. Mariya Amin from Community Medicine GMC Srinagar, Dr. Fara Shafi BMO Hazratbal and various functionaries. The program featured a comprehensive training session for healthcare workers focusing on the management of animal bites and prevention of rabies and included technical presentations by Dr. Kouser Sideeq and Dr. Sameena Yousuf Dar, assistant professors, department of community medicine GMC Srinagar who were organising secretaries of whole events. They made effective power point presentations on the management of animal exposure to prevent rabies followed by practical demonstrations by Insha Rehman Pharmacist , Anti- Rabies Clinic UPHC SMHS Srinagar.

Principal GMC Srinagar distributed certificates of appreciation and participation on the occasion. Simultaneously, a poster competition was held at the Anti-Rabies Clinic, UPHC SMHS Hospital, encouraging creative engagement and awareness. The poster competition was judged by Prof. M.Iqbal Pandit Dr. Waseem Raja and Dr. Muzamil Hassan from the Department of Community Medicine GMC Srinagar and the best three posters were presented with the certificates of merit in addition to certificate of participation for all presenters.

The collaborative effort aimed to enhance knowledge and strategies for rabies prevention, ultimately strengthening community health initiatives to achieve global rabies elimination by 2030 while using the holistic approach of One-Health.