SAMBALPUR: Marking the World Rabies Day 2025, department of Community Medicine at VIMSAR conducted an awareness session at Kirba village in Burla on Sunday to educate locals about rabies prevention, early treatment and importance of vaccination in both humans and animals.
Led by department head Dr Smita Kumari Panda, the session highlighted this year’s theme ‘Act Now: You, Me, Community’ emphasising global commitment to end dog-mediated rabies deaths.
Faculty members, postgraduate students and interns engaged villagers through interactive discussions, poster demonstrations and practical training on wound washing techniques and the need for immediate medical care after animal bites. A skit was performed by students to educate the villagers on responsible pet ownership and the critical role of animal vaccination in preventing rabies transmission.
Assistant professor of Community Medicine and faculty coordinator, Dr Udayana Nayak stressed that rabies is 100 per cent preventable with timely vaccination but still claims thousands of lives annually due to lack of awareness.