The Kerala High Court has finally asked whether the issue of stray dogs should be declared a state disaster. Each passing day sees a rising number of people being bitten by dogs. According to official data submitted by the State Health Directorate to the Child Rights Commission, 1.31 lakh people were bitten by dogs in the last four months alone. So far this year, 25 people in the state have died due to rabies, compared to 26 deaths last year. With several months still remaining in the year, the death toll from rabies could break previous records. The fact that some of the deceased had received anti-rabies vaccines is particularly alarming.

Of those who died from dog bites this year, nine had been vaccinated. The Health Department itself has acknowledged that even though they had taken the full course of preventive vaccines, they still succumbed to the infection. Authorities explained that the virus spread too rapidly in the body, rendering the vaccines ineffective. Serious questions now arise: Has the rabies virus mutated into a more aggressive form? Should the current vaccines be modified accordingly? These are critical issues that require urgent scientific research and response. Last year alone, over 3.16 lakh people sought treatment in government hospitals for dog bites, highlighting the severity of the stray dog menace in Kerala.

To free the state from the menace of stray dogs, what is needed is an intensive, war-footing level campaign. Unfortunately, however, the government continues to adopt a delaying approach, citing legal hurdles. The Animal Birth Control (ABC) program, introduced to curb the stray dog population through sterilisation, is not functioning effectively. Although there are over two dozen ABC centres in the state, their operations are far from efficient. Adding to the problem is the strong local opposition to designated shelters where captured dogs are supposed to be housed, as per central regulations. The unchecked availability of food waste and other garbage on the streets has also contributed significantly to the rise in the stray dog population. These dogs not only form packs that attack people walking alone at night but also jump in front of two-wheelers, causing numerous road accidents.

The Health Department continues to claim there is no need to worry about the quality of anti-rabies vaccines. A central expert committee also found that the vaccines, in general, are of good quality. However, the state has not been following the prescribed protocols for vaccine storage and administration. Vaccines must be kept at specific temperatures from manufacture to distribution, and proper scientific storage systems need to be in place at the Kerala Medical Services Corporation's warehouses and major hospitals. It is the Health Department's responsibility to ensure that these systems work flawlessly.