A Race Against Time: Youth and Innovation Must Drive Rabies Elimination by 2030

 

A Race Against Time: Youth and Innovation Must Drive Rabies Elimination by 2030

By Ibrahim Khalil, Nafis Jawad, and Abu Sayed

 

Rabies is one of the oldest and most terrifying zoonotic diseases known to humankind, remains a fatal threat—despite being 100% preventable. It is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and, once symptoms appear, is almost always fatal. Today, it continues to claim an estimated 70,000 lives annually, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. Most of these cases result from bites by infected dogs.

Recognizing the devastating yet preventable nature of this disease, four major global organizations—WHO, FAO, WOAH, and GARC—launched the “Zero by 30” global strategic plan in 2018. This ambitious initiative aims to eliminate all human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by the year 2030. The initiative is built on a three-phase model: “Start Up,” “Scale Up,” and “Sustain,” with the current period (2021–2025) being the crucial “Scale Up” phase—a time to translate plans into large-scale, tangible action.

With just five years remaining until the 2030 target, there is both progress to celebrate and work still to be done. Some countries have made significant strides, while others face serious challenges, including vaccine shortages, weak surveillance systems, lack of community engagement, and the halting of once-successful vaccination programs due to financial or political instability.

By building on the successes and lessons learned so far, we have a unique opportunity to turn the goal of a rabies-free world into a global reality. We are now at a promising turning point. With five years remaining, this is a vital moment to build on existing progress and strengthen our approach.

By empowering young people and embracing innovative technologies, we can accelerate efforts, close remaining gaps, and move confidently toward achieving the global goal of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies by 2030. This article suggests that while existing global and national efforts have laid a strong foundation, accelerating progress toward Zero by 30 will require the strategic inclusion of youth leadership and the adoption of emerging technologies. By integrating these underutilized assets into rabies control frameworks, we can help overcome persistent barriers and significantly boost the effectiveness and reach of elimination efforts.

The time to act is now—and the way forward must be inclusive, evidence-driven, and future-ready.

Why Rabies Still Kills

Rabies is one of the most neglected tropical diseases in the world. Over 99% of human cases are transmitted by dog bites, and nearly half of all deaths occur in children under 15. Although mass dog vaccination is a proven and cost-effective method to break the chain of transmission, many countries still struggle to maintain consistent coverage due to limited vaccine supply, weak logistics, and inadequate community engagement.

In countries such as Bangladesh, previously successful mass dog vaccination (MDV) programs have been interrupted, primarily due to funding constraints. In other regions, the challenges are multifaceted—ranging from inadequate surveillance and weak data management systems to socio-cultural barriers, including stigma and continued reliance on traditional healing practices.

Despite the efforts of national and international organizations, rabies elimination continues to face significant barriers. What remains notably absent is a unified, integrative strategy that strategically mobilizes underutilized resources—particularly the dynamism of young people and the potential of modern innovations. While the recommendations proposed herein aim to address critical gaps, they are not exhaustive; rather, they represent a set of practical, complementary approaches that could enhance and reinforce existing efforts within national and global frameworks.

The Power of Youth: From Awareness to Action

Despite being among the most vulnerable to rabies, young people are seldom integrated into official elimination frameworks—a gap that limits the full potential of community-based public health efforts.

History shows that youth have always played vital roles in public health, from polio immunization drives to community sanitation campaigns. In the context of rabies, school-based education, dog bite prevention awareness, and student involvement in vaccination logistics have already demonstrated promise in several regions.

To address the persistent gap in youth engagement, we propose the Global Youth Rabies Action Plan (GYRAP)—a strategic initiative structured to function through a formalized organizational model. GYRAP aims to institutionalize youth participation in rabies elimination by establishing a coordinated, multi-level framework. This initiative is organized into three interconnected tiers: 

GATRE (Global Action Team for Rabies Elimination): At the top, GATRE serves as the global coordinating body. It consists of an executive board and country representatives from implementing countries, and works in partnership with international organizations such as WHO, FAO, GARC, and WOAH. GATRE is responsible for guiding the initiative's direction and overseeing national (CATsRE) and local teams (LATsRE).

CATsRE (Country Action Teams for Rabies Elimination): The second tier, CATsRE, functions as national-level youth chapters. These teams coordinate advocacy, awareness, and surveillance activities in collaboration with One Health and public health authorities. CATsRE chapters supervise local teams and act as a bridge between policy and field implementation.

LATsRE (Local Action Teams for Rabies Elimination): LATsRE will operate at the community level, comprising student groups from youth networks, universities, and local institutions. Their core responsibilities include conducting mass awareness programs in schools and communities, monitoring stray dog populations and bite incidents through mobile or community reporting, assisting with dog vaccination logistics, delivering educational workshops on rabies prevention and first aid, and reporting suspected rabies cases to designated diagnostic laboratories.

This model is designed to integrate youth into existing health systems, ensuring long-term sustainability, innovation, and inclusivity.

Additionally, we propose the "Rabies-Safe School Model", which would embed rabies education into national curricula, equip schools with first-aid kits and bite reporting systems, build rebies awareness among the school and college going students, and promote safe interactions with animals. A digital rabies literacy certification program could further enhance public health education nationwide.

Innovation: The Missing Link

Alongside youth leadership, innovation is the other key ingredient missing from many rabies strategies.

Emerging technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence, and drones are no longer futuristic concepts—they’re being used successfully in other health sectors and can dramatically improve rabies control efforts.

• Blockchain can track vaccine supply chains in real-time, ensuring transparency and reducing wastage.

• AI forecasting tools can predict outbreaks and identify areas of high demand for vaccines.

• Drone delivery systems can provide critical cold-chain transport to hard-to-reach communities, where traditional logistics fail.

• Incentive-based vaccination models, including food vouchers or school supplies, can boost dog owner compliance in low-income settings.

• Direct Fluorescent Antibody (DFA) and Lateral Flow Assay (LFA) tests offer fast, cost-effective rabies testing and can be provided in local veterinary hospitals to strengthen early detection.

Moreover, a mobile-based citizen reporting platform could allow youth and community members to log bite incidents or report suspected rabid animals, feeding into national surveillance systems and enabling rapid response.

Turning Recommendations into Action

To accelerate progress toward Zero by 30, we need systemic changes—engaging all the communities and stakeholders. 

Therefore, WE CALL:

• National Governments to formally recognize youth as strategic partners in rabies elimination and integrate them into policy design, implementation, and evaluation frameworks. 

• Education Ministries to embed rabies education into school curricula, creating a generation that is aware, empowered, and engaged in zoonotic disease prevention. 

• International Agencies and Donors to support the scale-up of blockchain, AI, drone logistics, and DFA-LFA diagnostics as part of national rabies control programs. 

• Private Sector Stakeholders to invest in local vaccine production, supply chains, and public awareness campaigns—and be publicly recognized through Rabies-Free Certifications. 

• Youth Networks to step forward, organize locally and regionally, and lead community-based education and surveillance, mass awareness programs, and policy advocacy efforts. 

• One Health Platforms to institutionalize cross-sectoral collaboration at every level—from local task forces to global partnerships—ensuring a unified and efficient approach. 

A Global Justice Issue

At its core, rabies elimination is more than a health goal—it’s a matter of justice. No child should die from a disease that we already know how to prevent. And yet, each year, tens of thousands of families face the unbearable loss of a loved one due to lack of awareness, access, or action.

The solutions are within reach. What we need now is the will to act—and the courage to act differently.

Let us allow the 2030 deadline to become a victory against rabies elimination. Let this be the decade when rabies, one of humanity’s oldest enemies, is finally defeated—by the hands of a generation determined to build a healthier, more just world.

 

This article is adapted from the policy white paper titled “Reimagining Rabies Elimination: Youth Leadership and Innovation-Driven Strategies to Accelerate Zero by 2030” available at https://bit.ly/RabiesWP.  

Correspondence: Abu Sayed (Email: a.sayedpstu@gmail.com)