In a significant step towards public health safety, over 30 street dogs were vaccinated against rabies on the Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) campus in Dibrugarh on Thursday. The drive was a collaborative effort between the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, the Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC), and the NGO Animal Welfare People.
This initiative is part of a broader city-wide campaign to control the spread of rabies. The AMCH campus, a high-traffic zone with thousands of patients, staff, and visitors, was identified as a critical location for the intervention, addressing longstanding concerns about stray animals in the hospital premises.
Dibrugarh Mayor Dr Saikat Patra speaking on the importance of the ongoing campaign said, “Regular vaccination of street dogs is essential to safeguard public health and prevent rabies outbreaks. We will continue these drives systematically to cover more areas and ensure maximum coverage of the stray dog population.”
The drive at AMCH follows similar successful operations at the Dibrugarh Airport and other parts of the city, which have already led to the vaccination of over 200 stray dogs. A representative from Animal Welfare People stated, “These drives not only protect public health but also demonstrate that animal welfare and human safety can go hand in hand. Locals have been very supportive, helping us safely locate and handle the dogs during vaccination.”
Officials confirmed that the vaccination drives will be expanded to other institutional campuses, residential areas, and commercial zones in the coming weeks, with the ultimate goal of vaccinating all accessible stray dogs in Dibrugarh for effective rabies control.
