Abstract:
The World Health Organization (WHO), World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Food
and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and Global Alliance for Rabies
Control (GARC) have established a global goal for the elimination of dog-mediated human
rabies deaths by 2030. A significant number of rabies endemic countries have also committed
themselves, individually or as a group, to eliminate rabies from their territories.
Although tools to eliminate canine rabies are available, financial resources for rabies control
are scarce. Public—private partnerships have shown effective results in the control of certain
neglected tropical diseases—like filariasis elimination championed by the Global Alliance
for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF) and Guinea worm control
spearheaded by the Carter Center-and could prove a possible strategy for rabies. The
funding to achieve global elimination of dog-mediated human rabies deaths has not yet been
realized, and it is unlikely that a single external partner would be able to provide all resources
necessary to develop an endemic country’s comprehensive, multiyear rabies control program. Instead, the fiscal investment and infrastructural development will, in many instances,
need to be driven in part from the endemic country’s government. Indeed, just as rabies
elimination is a global public good, national governments should recognize that freedom of
dog rabies is a national public good, for which public funds should be invested. National governments
should also take the lead in making the final decisions on the overall strategy and the
day to day implementation of rabies elimination or control activities. Support from external
sources, including international agencies, public entities, donor governments, and private
partners, may assist with bridging the funding gap and should aim to fund objectives that align
with, or promote, the development of a sustainable government-operated rabies program.
