The small country of Bhutan has reached a big health goal. The World Health Organization says rabies from dogs is no longer a public health problem. Bhutan is the first country to do this in the WHO South-East Asia region. Rabies is a dangerous illness that people can get from a dog bite. Bhutan has had no human deaths from dog rabies since June 2023.
How did the country do it? Health workers gave vaccines to many dogs across the country. Doctors also give treatment soon after a bite, and this treatment is free. Thousands of volunteers helped with the work in villages and towns. The world hopes to end human deaths from dog rabies by 2030. Bhutan shows the way.