Rabies

Rabies causes approximately 59,000 human deaths each year worldwide, with around 40% of rabies deaths occurring in children under 15 years of age. The disease disproportionately affects people living in marginalised and underserved communities. While the majority of deaths occur in Africa and Asia, rabies remains a significant public and animal health concern in the Middle East, particularly due to dog-mediated transmission and cross-border animal movement.

At the global level, the World Health Organization (WHO), World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) have forged a strategic collaboration known as United Against Rabies (UAR) under the One Health framework. This collaboration developed and launched the Global Strategic Plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030 (“Zero by 30”).

In the Middle East, several countries are implementing dog-mediated rabies prevention and control activities, including mass dog vaccination, awareness campaigns, and capacity building for surveillance and diagnostics. These efforts are often supported through national programmes, bilateral cooperation, and international partners, with an increasing emphasis on coordinated, cross-border approaches to address transboundary rabies risks.To strengthen collaboration and information exchange in the region, the Middle East Rabies Control Network (MERACON)was established under the secretariat of theGlobal Alliance for Rabies Control. MERACON provides a regional platform for countries to collaborate, share best practices, and coordinate rabies control efforts in alignment with the One Health approach.

The 87th WOAH World Assembly of Delegates adopted international standards enabling countries, on a voluntary basis, to apply for the endorsement of their national dog-mediated rabies control programmes, supporting progress towards elimination.
In addition, WOAH rabies vaccine bank supports countries in the Middle East by facilitating access to quality-assured vaccines for mass dog vaccination campaigns, a cornerstone of rabies elimination.

Finally, tools such as the Stepwise Approach towards Rabies Elimination (SARE) and the Canine Rabies Blueprint have been developed to support countries and stakeholders in working collaboratively and progressing step by step towards the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies.