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MADISON, NJ – (BUSINESS WIRE) – In recognition of World Rabies Day on September 28, Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA (NYSE: MRK), today announced the launch of a global campaign to raise awareness among veterinarians, dog owners, and volunteers who are committed to eliminating rabies through ongoing dog vaccination efforts. In partnership with Mission Rabies and Rabies Free Africa, the social media initiative recognizes and celebrates those who are committed to protecting and saving human and canine lives, using the hashtag #ForThemForUs.
“Many of us love and trust our dogs, who in many cases are not only beloved family members, but also fellow workers, ”said Luke Gamble, BVSc, DVM & S, FRCVS, founder of Mission Rabies. “On this World Rabies Day, we want to recognize the invaluable role dogs play in our lives. When we protect our dogs from rabies, we also protect ourselves from this deadly disease. Showcasing those efforts through #ForThemForUs moments is a good way to raise awareness about why vaccinating dogs and educating people about rabies prevention is important and saves lives. ”
Worldwide, there are an estimated 900 million dogs.me but the majority (75-85%) are not domestic petsii. To prevent the transmission of rabies in rabies endemic areas, at least 70% of dogs must be protected by annual mass vaccinationiii. For more than 20 years, Merck Animal Health, through the Afya Program, has been dedicated to rabies prevention and has donated more than three million doses of rabies vaccine to help meet the World Health Organization goal. (WHO) “Zero by 2030”.
Each year, an estimated 59,000 people die of rabies, and more than 99% of cases are contracted by dog bite. Furthermore, 40% of those deaths occur in children under 15 years of age. This is due in part to low rates of canine vaccination in rabies endemic areas and a lack of awareness of the disease.
“With Merck Animal Health, we have made significant advances in the research needed to design cost-effective and efficient vaccination programs that reduce rabies rates in both dogs and humans, ”says Felix Lankester, DVM, Ph.D., Director, Rabies Free Africa, Paul G. Allen School of Global Animal Health, Washington State University. “From scientific research to actual vaccination programs, we are perfecting the tools we need to prevent rabies. As we do so, we must continue to work alongside local governments and health organizations that support local communities as they continue to prevent rabies where it is most needed. This will help us achieve our goal of eliminating rabies by 2030 ”.
Collaboration between human, animal and environmental health organizations should continue to advance sustainable rabies prevention efforts, including annual mass vaccination. Through this One Health approach, animal health advocates at the local, regional, national and global levels play a critical role in addressing this public health threat and must work together to keep dogs healthy. like humans.
“Experiencing first-hand the important work of our partners, veterinarians and volunteers was the inspiration behind our campaign, #ForThemForUs, ”said Ingrid Deuzeman, Global Marketing Director, Companion Animal Vaccines, Merck Animal Health. “We wanted to recognize the global community for their role in eliminating rabies, from the local vet vaccinating dogs at a veterinary clinic to the door-to-door efforts of Mission Rabies and Rabies Free Africa volunteers and teams throughout. the African continent and beyond. to vaccinate domestic and stray dogs. We hope that by sharing their #ForThemForUs moments with the world, these prominent individuals and nonprofits will gain even more awareness and support to expand rabies prevention and elimination efforts. ”
For example, as a commitment to vaccination against rabies in Goa, India, there have been no human deaths from rabies for two years. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, the local Mission Rabies team remained essential in ensuring that rabies did not reappear in the area. During this period, our team was available to respond to any reported rabid dogs. After several positive cases were confirmed, they also quickly launched an emergency rabies vaccination campaign to prevent the spread, ”Gamble said.
Veterinarians, dog owners and volunteers are invited to share photos and videos of their inspiring work to keep dogs rabies free, using the hashtag #ForThemForUs.
About Mission Rabies
Mission Rabies was initially founded as an initiative of Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS), a UK-based charity group that helps animals. Mission Rabies has a research-driven One Health approach to eliminating rabies transmitted by dog bites (a disease estimated to kill 59,000 people a year). Launched in September 2013 with a mission to vaccinate 50,000 dogs against rabies across India, Mission Rabies teams have since vaccinated 1.1 million dogs and educated more than three million children in prevention. of dog bites in countries where rabies is endemic. For more information, visit www.missionrabies.com.
About rabies-free Africa
Rabies Free Africa is empowering East African countries to create self-sustaining programs to eliminate current human deaths from rabies and establish surveillance systems to identify future outbreaks for containment. To reach the global goal by 2030, the focus must be on lowering the cost of vaccinating dogs and increasing access to vaccines. Rabies Free Africa continues its work to discover ways to lower the cost of mass vaccinations for dogs and to refine national and continental programs that make the best use of limited resources. For more information, visit www.globalhealth.wsu.edu/initiatives/rabies-free-africa/.
About the Afya program
The Afya Program comprises a number of rabies control projects supported by donations of rabies vaccines from Merck Animal Health, including Rabies Free Africa, Mission Rabies, and The Sharon Live On Project. These projects have been grouped under the name “Afya”, which means “health” in Swahili. The Afya Program is committed to supporting the Zero by 30 Initiative, with the goal of eliminating rabies by 2030. For more information, visit www.afya.org.
About Merck Animal Health
For more than a century, Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, has been inventing for life, introducing drugs and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA, is the global animal health business unit of Merck. Through your commitment to the Healthier Animal Science®, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the broadest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services, as well as a comprehensive suite of identification, traceability and monitoring products. digitally connected. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in about 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter at @MerckAH.
me World Atlas. How many dogs are there in the world? Accessed June 15, 2020. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-many-dogs-are-there-in-the-world.html
ii World Atlas. How many dogs are there in the world? Accessed June 15, 2020. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-many-dogs-are-there-in-the-world.html
iii World Health Organization. Frequently Asked Questions About Rabies for the General Public. Accessed June 15, 2020. https://www.who.int/rabies/Rabies_General_Public_FAQs_Sep2018.pdf?ua=1
