AHTCS Vaccination Campaign Story

Introduction

Animal Health Training and Consultancy Service (AHTCS), established in 2000, is a non-profit, service-oriented NGO dedicated to improving animal welfare and enhancing the livelihoods of marginalized communities.

School Rabies Awareness and Vaccination Campaign

As a recognized Rabies Center of Excellence by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), AHTCS conducted a community awareness and mass vaccination campaign in local levels of Kaski District in collaboration with GARC. Our efforts led to the successful vaccination of 96 dogs, outreach to six schools, educating 400 students, and direct engagement with 100 community members across two awareness programs.

While the campaign was a success, it also came with challenges. One major issue was double vaccination, which occurred due to a lack of coordination among stakeholders involved in rabies control. Better communication between governmental and non-governmental entities can prevent this in the future, ensuring resources are used efficiently.

Another key finding was lack of knowledge toward human rabies vaccination in the rural communities. Despite knowing its fatal consequences, some community members were reluctant especially regarding post-exposure prophylaxis for minor animal scratches. Many only sought treatments after a bite, overlooking the risk posed by seemingly harmless wounds. Targeted awareness programs can help shift this perception, ensuring that communities understand how rabies is transmitted and why immediate preventive action is crucial.

The campaign was particularly impactful in vaccinating free-roaming community dogs and cats technically "owned" but left to wander, posing a high risk to both humans and other animals. Our team actively searched for these dogs, ensuring they were included in the program. Most of the owners and community members were cooperative and they helped us to find the community dogs, which highlighted the importance of community involvement.

One of the challenging aspects of this campaign was reaching remote areas. Many locations had no direct vehicle access, requiring our team to travel for a few hours on foot, navigating challenging terrain to locate and vaccinate animals. For most of these villages, the main road only touches the outskirts of the villages, leaving the core areas inaccessible by car. Those parts were only accessible through narrow foot trails (which is typical for mid-hill villages in Nepal). Carrying cool boxes and other equipment (dog catching nets) while walking on these difficult trails was no easy task, especially considering that the terrain was rocky and uneven. Despite the difficulties, there was a deep sense of fulfillment knowing that every step taken contributed to a safer, rabies-free community.

Conclusion

This campaign reaffirmed that rabies control requires more than just vaccinations—it demands strong partnerships, ongoing education, and unwavering dedication. Moving forward, we aim to enhance stakeholder coordination, strengthen awareness efforts, and expand our reach, ensuring a sustained impact in the fight against rabies.

Story contributed by: Dr Sudarshan Bhattarai, Program Officer, Animal Health Training and Consultancy Services (AHTCS), Nepal – a recognized Rabies Center of Excellence.

Note from GARC: AHTCS is the first Rabies Center of Excellence that has been recognized in Nepal. The Communities Against Rabies initiative aims to recognize additional interested organizations in Nepal, creating a network of organizations that collaborate and coordinate their programs. The GARC Data Tools facilitate improved data monitoring and sharing and will assist in addressing the challenges faced by AHTCS in the duplication of efforts whereby vaccinated dogs are vaccinated again by another organization.