National Rabies Prevention and Control Drill Held in Buon Ma Thuot on September 26
National health and agricultural authorities gathered in Buon Ma Thuot within Dak Lak province on September 26 to host the annual national rabies prevention and control drill. The joint exercise organized by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and the Dak Lak Provincial People’s Committee addressed a global disease burden that claims approximately 59,000 lives annually across more than 150 countries, with about 40 percent of those fatalities involving children under 15 years old.
Vietnam Rabies Fatalities and Public Health Toll in 2026
Rabies remains a significant public health challenge throughout Vietnam, according to figures released by the Ministry of Health during the September 26 event. Vietnam recorded 77 deaths from rabies in 2025. During the first nine months of 2026, the country documented another 55 rabies fatalities. Son also highlighted that accessing preventative care remains difficult for residents in remote and mountainous regions.
2030 Target to Eliminate Dog and Cat Transmitted Rabies
The Ministry of Health established a national goal to eliminate all deaths from rabies transmitted by dogs and cats by the year 2030, reported from the Buon Ma Thuot gathering. Vo Hai Son emphasized that achieving this objective requires proactive measures rather than simply reacting after a person suffers an exposure. Authorities stressed that intervention cannot wait for a human exposure to occur, nor can disease response begin only after a fatality prompts an investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rabies Prevention in Vietnam
How many people died from rabies in Vietnam during the first nine months of 2026?
Vietnam recorded 55 deaths from rabies during the first nine months of 2026, according to data from the Ministry of Health.
What is the primary objective of Vietnam’s national rabies control plan?
The Ministry of Health set a target to eliminate all deaths from dog and cat-transmitted rabies by the year 2030, as stated by Vo Hai Son at the September 26 event.
Which government bodies organized the September 26 drill in Dak Lak?
The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and the Dak Lak Provincial People’s Committee organized the national prevention and control exercise in Buon Ma Thuot.