A large-scale “Mass Anti-Rabies Vaccination Drive” was successfully carried out in the Municipal Corporation (MC) Shimla area from August 15 to 29, showing a strong example of teamwork between multiple stakeholders and active public participation, according to an official release.
The campaign aimed to vaccinate as many community and street dogs as possible, a key step toward making Shimla a rabies-free city.
The drive was a joint effort by MC Shimla, the Department of Animal Husbandry, Mission Rabies India, Humane People NGO Rampur, Compassion for Animal Welfare NGO, Neighbourhood Woof Delhi, Peepal Farm, and Just Be Friendly Assam. Local dog feeders also helped by guiding teams in their wards.
Coordinated by Anil Kumar Sharma, District Nodal Officer (Rabies Control) Shimla, the campaign vaccinated 3,507 dogs, covering nearly 90 per cent of the city’s estimated dog population. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, more than 70 per cent coverage is needed to stop rabies transmission. The drive followed the WHO Expert Consultation on Rabies (2018) recommendations closely.
Seven specialised teams were set up with vaccinators (BVSc interns), data collectors, hand catchers, net catchers, and drivers. Their coordination ensured that almost all wards of MC Shimla were covered effectively.
MC Shimla Mayor, Surender Chauhan, thanked all the organisations involved, including those from outside Himachal Pradesh, for their contribution. The Himachal Pradesh government also praised the campaign, calling it a milestone in rabies elimination efforts.
Balaji Chandershekhar, Director of Operations, Mission Rabies India, said, “Mission Rabies will continue to support Shimla with vaccines for community dogs every year. Alongside, we must also strengthen our dog vaccination strategies through door-to-door coverage to ensure effective overall protection."
Supporting this, Commissioner MC Shimla, Bhupinder Attri, assured that a door-to-door plan for owned dogs will also be implemented in future phases to make the programme more comprehensive.
The campaign will now be conducted annually for at least five years to ensure that no human or animal rabies cases occur in Shimla. The long-term goal is to make Shimla a rabies-free city, setting an example for other urban centres in India.
Also Read: Stray dog vaccination campaign flagged off in Shimla
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