Haiti’s fight against rabies: Protecting communities and saving lives

As soon as Jonas was admitted to the hospital, the Ministry of Public Health’s National Surveillance Network was alerted. Supported by the Panamerican Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), this nationwide network of field staff and resources — including epidemiology assistants based in each department and “labo-moto” health workers who collect samples — swiftly swung into action.  

A response team composed of staff from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture was deployed to Butête to confirm that no one else in the community had been exposed to rabies. The boy’s family was closely monitored and received post exposure prophylaxis. The team also inspected the area where the dog and her puppies had died. The investigation recommended organizing a dog vaccination campaign in the commune, strengthening surveillance, and improving access to human rabies vaccines for post-exposure treatment.

As PAHO/WHO commemorates World Rabies Day—September 28— under the theme: Act now: You, Me, Community, rabies remains one of the world’s deadliest zoonotic diseases, causing an estimated 59,000 deaths annually, 40% of which are children.

In the Americas, thanks to Member State commitments, community engagement, regional collaboration, and PAHO's technical support, the region has achieved a 98% reduction in cases of human rabies transmitted by dogs, dropping from 300 cases in 1983 to just 10 cases reported over the past year.

The results achieved over the last 40 years reflect the positive impact of these joint efforts, bringing the Americas closer than ever to the elimination of human rabies of canine origin (rabies virus variants 1 and 2).

To curb the spread of rabies in Haiti, a canine vaccination campaign was launched in August with the goal of vaccinating about 140,000 dogs — including stray and community dogs — while also raising public awareness on rabies prevention.

Within the framework of PAHO’s Elimination Initiative, which aims to eliminate more than 30 diseases and related conditions by 2030, the campaign is being led by Haiti’s Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development with technical support from the PAHO/WHO country office, PAHO’s Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health (PANAFTOSA) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

In preparation for this activity, training was provided to four departmental coordinators, seventeen communal coordinators, and more than 480 veterinary auxiliary agents, who were later deployed in 240 teams across priority areas in the departments of Artibonite, Centre, Nord-Est, and Nord-Ouest. A key innovation this year is the use of a mobile application to register vaccinated dogs, allowing real-time data collection, coverage monitoring, and improved data quality.

“By vaccinating dogs on a large scale, we directly protect human communities—especially children. It’s a simple but vital action that saves lives,” explained Dr. Oscar Barreneche, PAHO/WHO representative in Haiti. “Rabies is lethal, but 100% preventable.”

Achieving an estimated 80% vaccination coverage among the target dog population, as recommended by PAHO’s Regional Rabies Elimination Program and the Directors of Rabies Programs in the Americas (REDIPRA), is expected to significantly reduce rabies virus circulation in dogs. The campaign also aims to heighten awareness of rabies prevention and promote appropriate responses to bites from suspected rabid animals.

“Despite the challenges and limitations posed by the security situation and the overall instability in the country, we consider this vaccination campaign a significant success,” said Dr Haïm Joseph Corvil, Protection Unit Coordinator at the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development.

Haiti’s fragile public health and veterinary system, compounded by ongoing insecurity and limited access to some areas, make sustained rabies control efforts difficult. Despite these obstacles, and with continued commitment and strong collaboration between government, local communities, and international partners, Haiti can make meaningful progress toward eliminating rabies—and preventing future tragedies like the one in Butête.