Kerala woman dies of rabies, Human Rights Commission wants action plan

Pathanamthitta, Oct 4 ( IANS) A 65-year-old woman from Pathanamthitta died of rabies following a stray dog attack, prompting the Kerala State Human Rights Commission to direct the government to draw up an immediate action plan to prevent further deaths.

The victim, Krishnamma, a resident of Mannaramala, was bitten by a stray dog in the first week of September.

She had been undergoing treatment at Kottayam Medical College Hospital and had reportedly taken the anti-rabies vaccine.

During the attack, she fell to the ground and suffered a deep bite on her face.

Despite medical care, her condition worsened, and she succumbed to the infection.

The death comes amid an alarming surge in stray dog attacks across the state.

In the past five months alone, over 1.65 lakh people have been bitten by stray dogs, while 17 deaths have been reported due to rabies.

Taking note of the growing public health concern, Justice Alexander Thomas, Chairperson of the Kerala State Human Rights Commission, has instructed the government to prepare a comprehensive strategy to control rabies and manage the stray dog population.

The directive follows the recommendation of Jacob John, former head of Virology at the Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, who had called for the formation of a dedicated task force to coordinate rabies prevention measures across departments.

Justice Thomas also emphasised the importance of the Justice Siri Jagan Commission, constituted by the Supreme Court to fix compensation for dog bite victims, and asked the government to clarify whether the commission's work is still in progress.

The Additional Chief Secretary of the Local Self-Government Department has been asked to submit a detailed report within a month.

The Commission has initiated a suo motu case based on media reports, urging the state to adopt immediate steps to reduce stray dog attacks and prevent rabies-related deaths.

--IANS

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