Rabies deaths: Oppn criticises state govt's negligence; Kerala minister blames Centre

Thiruvananthapuram | The back-to-back death of three children allegedly due to rabies infection despite receiving vaccination as part of their treatment has re-ignited the debate on stray dog menace in Kerala, with the opposition accusing the LDF government of showing gross negligence on the matter.

Seven-year-old Niya Faisal, a native of Kunnicode in the neighbouring Kollam district, breathed her last at a state-run hospital here in the early hours of Monday.

She had been on ventilator support at the Sree Avittom Thirunal (SAT) Hospital here for a few days after she tested positive for rabies infection.

The Congress-led UDF described the incident as "utmost serious" and alleged that the girl's death is yet another example of the gross negligence of the health department.

However, State Minister for Local Self-Governments M B Rajesh turned the tables on the Centre and blamed its Animal Birth Control (ABC) norms.

He said the impractical ABC rules of the Centre and local people's intense protest against the setting up of ABC centres in their areas were reasons for the increasing number of stray dogs in the state.

In a hard-hitting statement, opposition leader V D Satheesan alleged that it is extremely serious that a child who had received three doses of the vaccine contracted rabies.

This is the third rabies-infection-related child death reported in the state in the one last month despite receiving vaccines during treatment after being attacked by stray dogs, he said.

The government cannot evade its responsibility, and urgent action must be taken in this regard, he said.

"Of the 102 people who have died from rabies in the state in the last 5 years, 20 lost their lives despite being vaccinated," Satheesan said.

Despite such incidents, the health department maintains that the vaccine is safe, he said, adding that it is unacceptable to make children the scapegoat for government mismanagement and corruption.

"The government must remember that it cannot escape from the responsibility for the deaths of little children," the LoP added.

Expressing grief over the death of Niya, Minister Rajesh said the Centre should be ready to relax the ABC norms, and local people should be ready to allow centres for the same to be opened in their areas.

As per the present ABC rules, stray dogs should be caught, sterilised in air-conditioned operation theatres, kept at the centres till their wounds are healed and then released in the same place where they were caught, he said.

stray dogs

The state government can only act in accordance with these central rules, the minister said, adding that a debate should arise in the state on the topic.

A six-year-old girl in Malappuram district, Ziya Faris, died of rabies in April despite having received vaccination.

A 13-year-old girl, hailing from Pullad in Pathanamthitta, also succumbed to the infection, recently after receiving prescribed vaccine doses, sources said.

The Kerala government had announced a vaccination drive and also its attempts to find locations for more Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres in the wake of 19 deaths due to dog bites in 2022.

The stray dog menace shocked the state in 2023 with the death of a differently-abled 11-year old boy who was attacked and bitten by dogs at Muzhappilangad in Kannur