Panaji: In a significant stride towards rabies prevention and awareness, Mission Rabies has initiated discussions with the Kerala government to introduce a comprehensive chapter on rabies education and vaccination in the state board’s school textbooks.
This pioneering collaboration aims to equip students with vital knowledge about rabies, its prevention, and the importance of vaccination.
“The move is an essential step in raising awareness about rabies in the country,” director of education at Mission Rabies, Dr Murugan Appupillai, told TOI.
“We still have a long way to go to achieve the global target of rabies elimination by 2023. Until then, educational awareness can play a significant role. By integrating vital information into the school curriculum, Mission Rabies hopes to create a more informed and proactive generation, fostering a safer environment for both humans and animals,” he said.
A sample syllabus of the rabies-awareness chapter has been shared with the Kerala education department and animal husbandry department. The proposed curriculum addition is set to benefit countless students in the primary as well as higher classes – III, V and VII –to ensure awareness of public health and education to students of varying grades.