CHENNAI: To create social awareness on the increasing incidence of zoonosis diseases, the district health units organised meetings with stakeholders and collaboration with local veterinary departments based on the instructions of the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.

Major zoonotic diseases that are of public health significance in India are rabies, brucellosis, toxoplasmosis, cysticercosis, echinococcosis, Japanese encephalitis, plague, leptospirosis, and scrub typhus.

However, new emerging diseases such as avian influenza, Nipah, trypanosomiasis, and H1N1 have stressed the importance of creating awareness about zoonosis and its transmission from the endemic states also. Therefore, joint awareness activities such as organising farmer’s mela were conducted to educate about endemic and neglected zoonotic diseases such as brucellosis, Japanese encephalitis, anthrax, KFD Cysticercosis.

With several superstitious practices on treating infectious diseases and zoonotic diseases such as rabies, district health officers have been instructed to educate the public on availing correct treatment and seeking medical care. “People should not engage in superstitious practices and not neglect a dog bite,” a circular from DPH stated.

The events included veterinarians and health workers, including vaccination campaigns in the health unit districts. The programme was organised to plan vaccination drives against animal diseases.

Officials also organised workshops in medical, veterinary, and agriculture colleges on the prevention and control of priority zoonotic diseases. Vaccination camps and awareness sessions for pet owners and animal handlers on disease prevention and control were also held.