Steps have to be taken to control the menace of stray dogs in the Kurunegala district as they are a cause for the spread of rabies in the North Western Province, residents said.
According to government hospital sources, around 6,000 persons who have been bitten by dogs have sought medical treatments against rabies during the past seven months.
Kurunegala District Chief PHI of the Rabies Control Unit B.W.W. Balasooriya confirming the above facts said that two deaths due to rabies occurred in Galgamuwa and Andarawewa this year. Balasooriya added that about 160,000 dogs are vaccinated annually at 5,700 centres to prevent the spread of rabies and there is a slight decrease in the number of patients this year compared to last year. Government spends between Rs.2,000 to Rs.50,000 per patient, a senior MOH in Kurunegala Teaching Hospital told Sunday Observer. He further said that residents leave pups on streets and nearby religious places causing inconvenience to pilgrims.
Steps should be taken to penalize those dumping pups on streets and raring too many dogs without vaccinated them.