Karnataka govt targets zero rabies deaths by 2030
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday said the state has set a target of reducing rabies deaths to zero by 2030 as he launched the State Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination, aimed at making the staet rabies-free.
The State Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination (SAPRE) seeks to strengthen rabies prevention efforts across the state, he said.
The State Action Plan was also launched for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (SAPSE).
“The Government of Karnataka has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030 through the implementation of SAPRE. Aligned with the National Rabies Control Programme and the national goal of ‘Zero Human Deaths due to Dog-Mediated Rabies by 2030’, the state has adopted a comprehensive One Health strategy to address rabies in an integrated and sustainable manner,” he said.
Addressing the gathering here, the Health Minister announced that anti-rabies vaccines and rabies immunoglobulin will be made available at all Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres, taluk hospitals and district hospitals across the state, and maintaining adequate stocks has been made mandatory.
Private hospitals have also been directed to ensure continuous availability of these medicines and to provide treatment without insisting on advance payment, he added.
“State and district-level joint committees have been formed for monitoring purposes. The programme will be implemented with the cooperation of various government departments, and NGOs will also extend support,” Rao said.
On snakebite management, the minister said an action plan has been formulated to reduce deaths caused by venomous snakebites.
“The plan has been prepared in accordance with central guidelines," he said, highlighting that in 2024, the state government included all snakebite cases in the list of notifiable diseases.
Officials noted that as Karnataka is the first state to declare all snake bite cases and deaths as'notifiable diseases', it has also become the first state to launch state action plan.
"Guidelines have been developed in collaboration with NGOs, civil society organisations and other departments, Rao added.
According to Rao, the plan focuses on prevention and control measures, ensuring availability of medicines, training and creating public awareness.
Eliminating disabilities caused by snakebites is also a key objective.
“Free treatment will be provided for snakebite cases as well, and private hospitals have been directed to provide immediate life-saving treatment to victims without insisting on advance payment,” Rao said.
Overall, the Health Department has formulated these programmes to address public health concerns effectively and ensure that no death occurs due to lack of timely treatment, he added.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
