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SUMMARY:Rabies Elimination in Nepal: Evaluating the Burden\, Surveillance\
 , and Treatment-Seeking Behaviour of Animal Bite Victims - Rakesh Chand\, 
 Department of Veterinary Medicine
DTSTART:20251120T140000Z
DTEND:20251120T150000Z
UID:TALK240832@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Fiona Roby
DESCRIPTION:Rabies is a universally fatal but preventable zoonosis that re
 mains a major public health challenge in Nepal. Despite decades of free pr
 ovision of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) through government health facil
 ities\, preventable human deaths still occur. This paradox reflects a cycl
 e of interlinked challenges: limited awareness and delayed treatment-seeki
 ng among bite victims\, recurrent shortages of anti-rabies vaccines (ARV) 
 and rabies immunoglobulins (RIG)\, and persistent underreporting in nation
 al surveillance data. Each factor reinforces the others\, weakening the ov
 erall effectiveness of rabies control programmes. \n\nThis thesis examines
  the rabies burden in Nepal by focusing on animal bite victims as the crit
 ical point of intervention. Three complementary approaches are employed: a
 nalysis of national surveillance data to assess reporting quality\; ethnog
 raphic fieldwork with central health authorities and medical centres to ev
 aluate supply-side constraints and service delivery\; and a community-base
 d survey to estimate incidence\, describe bite characteristics\, and explo
 re treatment seeking behaviour. \n\nThe findings reveal substantial underr
 eporting of bite cases\, systemic shortages\nin ARV and RIG provision\, an
 d widespread barriers to timely PEP uptake shaped by social\, cultural\, a
 nd economic contexts. Together\, these results demonstrate how weak survei
 llance\, constrained supply systems\, and gaps in treatment-seeking form a
  self-reinforcing cycle that sustains the burden of rabies in Nepal. By hi
 ghlighting these interconnected challenges\, this work identifies critical
  gaps that must\nbe addressed to strengthen surveillance\, improve access 
 to PEP\, and accelerate progress toward rabies elimination.\n
LOCATION:LT1\, Department of Veterinary Medicine
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