A New Approach to Rabies Eradication in Sri Lanka

A meeting was held at the Ministry of Health, on 28th January 2025, presided by Minister of Health, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa at the request of the Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC) – Sri Lanka.The AWC was represented by Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara, Champa Fernando, and Gihan Dinushka.

This two-hour long meeting was presided by Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, together with the Deputy Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijayamuni.

It was attended by the Secretary to the Ministry, Additional Secretary-Public Health, Director General of Health, Deputy Director General-Public Health Services, and other relevant Health Ministry Officials in various departments of the Ministry, and the Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock  Development, Dr. Palika Fernando, former Provincial Director of the Department of Animal Production and Health, Dr. BCS Perera, and the Secretary of the Private Veterinary Service Providers Association.

The AWC presented to Minister Nalinda Jayatissa its Proposal on Rabies Eradication, spelling out the need for a National Programme to control and eradicate rabies.

For the first time in the history of Sri Lanka with regard to rabies elimination, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Livestock Development and the responsible government   officers of relevant   Departments of both Ministries, animal welfare organisations, and private veterinary service providers came together at this meeting, and we wish to record below the main issues that emerged and were discussed and the  decisions taken:

1- Minister Jayatissa was of the firm opinion that Sri Lanka’s rabies eradication issue should be resolved in 3 years, obtaining targetted sustainable results.

He added that even Rs. 300 million can be provided for dog sterilisation, which needs to be  target-oriented and  sustainable results generating.

He also said that he can obtain Cabinet approval to initiate and execute such a programme.

2- A practical and viable as well as a realistic and logical proposal that dog sterilisation, dog rabies vaccination, dog owner registration, and national data management should be carried out under the Department of Animal Production and Health, pinning the responsibility on the right  professionals to obtain the targets, but under a clearly designed structure that would facilitate and ensure the unhindered securing of sustainable results, was unanimously mooted by the AWC and the Association of Private Veterinary Service Providers.

This proposal by Dr. Palika Fernando generated an elaborated and progressive discussion.

3.  Until specific decisions are taken on the above important issues recognising the urgency with which such decisions should be made, the proposal that all parties including the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Livestock Development and all affiliated departments of the two Ministries,  animal welfare organisations,  animal welfare activists, and private veterinary service providers, should work together towards achieving the targets of herd immunity by ensuring 70-80% dog vaccination coverage in the country from next March, under the Ministry of Health, was also subjected to extensive discussions.

4- For the first time, unanimous consensus was reached on the need for all parties responsible for the eradication of rabies from Sri Lanka to come together and work towards specific targets.

This indeed is a unique and positive achievement for Sri Lanka; a milestone.

On behalf of all Sri Lankans, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health, for grasping the urgent need to address the issue of rabies eradication and for the mature leadership given at this meeting.

Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC) – Sri Lanka