The science is sound. The strategy is clear. Now, the choice lies with us. With smart planning, local empowerment, and global solidarity, East Africa can lead the way in proving that no one—no matter how remote, how poor, or how young—should die from a preventable bite. Rabies can be history. All it takes is the will to act.

In the quiet village of Singida in central Tanzania, the fear of a dog bite runs deeper than mere inconvenience. For many families, it’s a potential death sentence. A single bite from a rabid dog can set off a tragic chain of events, because even though there’s a life-saving vaccine, getting it in time can be almost impossible.

For decades, people in rural Kenya and Tanzania have faced a cruel irony: a deadly disease that is entirely preventable, yet continues to kill. Rabies claims nearly 59,000 lives each year, mostly in low- and middle-income countries. The reason isn’t lack of science; it is lack of access.

A new roadmap to prevention

A new study, led by a global team of researchers from institutions like the University of Glasgow, Ifakara Health Institute, and the University of Nairobi, is rewriting that story. Published in Vaccine, their work doesn’t just highlight the problem; it provides a practical, hopeful roadmap toward ending rabies deaths for good.

At the heart of their solution is a simple shift in how the rabies vaccine is used. Instead of the traditional intramuscular injection method, they recommend switching to a dose-saving technique known as intradermal (ID) vaccination. This method, endorsed by the World Health Organisation, allows one vial to treat multiple patients, cutting vaccine usage by over half.

“For communities where stockouts are the norm and patients walk for hours to reach a clinic, this is game-changing,” said Martha Luka, the study’s lead author and a researcher from the University of Glasgow.

“We can protect more people with fewer resources.”

Martha Luka, the study’s lead author. IMAGE: Courtesy

Bringing vaccines closer to communities

But technique alone isn’t enough. The study dug deeper into the realities on the ground, mapping out how vaccines are distributed across health facilities in Kenya and Tanzania. One glaring issue emerged: centralization. In Tanzania, for example, PEP is often only available at major hospitals—leaving people in remote areas with little chance of receiving timely treatment.

The team’s answer? Decentralise the supply. By ensuring that district and rural clinics can stock and administer the vaccine, they argue, more people can be reached; faster and more equitably.

Smarter supply chains save lives

Then there is the matter of supply chain chaos. Clinics often do not know how much vaccine to stock or when to reorder. The result? Either wastage from expired vials, or empty fridges when people arrive needing help. The researchers tackled this too, creating simple, context-specific guidelines that help clinics predict demand based on patient traffic, and restock accordingly.

It’s a far cry from the emergency-driven, last-minute scramble that defines many health systems’ response to rabies today.

“We’ve shown that smarter planning and integration into national vaccine systems works,” said Kennedy Lushasi of the Ifakara Health Institute.

“This isn’t just theory. These are tools ready for real-world use.”

A timely opportunity with Gavi’s support

And the timing couldn’t be better. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has begun investing in rabies vaccine access across Africa and Asia, aiming to support the Zero by 30 goal—zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

This new funding promises to bring vaccines into routine national immunization programs. But, as the study makes clear, funding alone won’t be enough. The systems must be ready. Clinics must be trained. Stock must be managed intelligently. And crucially, dogs, the primary transmitters of rabies, must also be vaccinated.

Mumbua Mutunga, a PhD fellow at the University of Nairobi’s Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis, summed up the moment: “Gavi’s investment is a transformative milestone. But to reach the people who’ve been left behind, we need strategic planning and bold action. We can prevent these deaths. We have the tools.”

Mumbua Mutunga of the University of Nairobi. IMAGE: UoN

Toward a future free from rabies

Back in Singida, that means a mother no longer needing to choose between selling a goat or saving her child. It means a child bitten by a stray dog does not have to travel two days for treatment. It means turning the promise of science into the reality of survival.

With smart policies, community-centred delivery, and the right support, the study makes one thing clear: the era of dying from rabies can end. Now it’s up to governments, partners, and public health leaders to write the final chapter.

And it can be a story of life.

0 Comments

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

©[2025] Ethical Business

CONTACT US

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Sending

Log in with your credentials

or    

Forgot your details?

Create Account