This year’s World Rabies Day theme is: “Stronger Together”.
Every year on 28 September, the global community comes together to raise awareness about rabies elimination! This year’s World Rabies Day theme, “Stronger Together,” highlights a simple truth: rabies elimination is only possible when we work together.
From local communities and veterinary professionals to governments, healthcare workers, educators, and global partners, we all have role to play in making a world free from rabies a reality.
Why “Stronger Together”?
- Expand access to life-saving dog vaccinations.
- Improve rabies surveillance and reporting systems.
- Strengthen public awareness and education.
- Support policies that protect both people and animals.
- Build sustainable community-led solutions.
Rabies elimination depends on connected systems. Stronger partnerships create stronger outcomes!
We all have a role to play
Communities: Communities are often the first line of defense against rabies. Education, awareness, and responsible animal care help prevent cases before they happen.
Veterinary Professionals: Mass dog vaccination remains the most effective way to stop rabies at its source.
Healthcare Workers: Timely treatment and accurate diagnosis save lives.
Governments and Policymakers: Strong legislation, investment, and national coordination are essential for long-term progress.
Global Partners: Collaboration across sectors helps share resources, expertise, and solutions that accelerate impact.
One Health in action
Rabies elimination depends on interconnected action. Education, vaccination, surveillance, and legislation cannot work in isolation, they must function as part of one coordinated system.
World Rabies Day 2026 reinforces the importance of a One Health approach, recognizing the connection between human, animal, and environmental health.
This Year's Global Highlights
Rabies Momentum at the One Health Summit
At the One Health Summit in Lyon alongside WHO, WOAH, FAO and partners, rabies was highlighted as a practical example of One Health in action. An example of how strengthening collaboration between communities, animal and human strengthens surveillance to prevent not only rabies but zoonotic and other diseases. Video: From Rabies To Readiness | United Against Rabies.
Highlights on the Path to Rabies Elimination
Countries around the world continue to demonstrate that eliminating dog-mediated human rabies is achievable:
Bhutan
Bhutan became the first country in the WHO South-East Asia Region to receive validation for eliminating dog-mediated human rabies as a public health problem, demonstrating that sustained One Health collaboration, mass dog vaccination, access to post-exposure prophylaxis, and strong surveillance can successfully stop human deaths from the disease. Read more.
Chile
Chile became the second country in the WHO Region of the Americas to receive validation for eliminating dog-mediated human rabies as a public health problem, demonstrating both the effectiveness of long-term investments in dog vaccination, post-exposure prophylaxis and surveillance and the importance of sustaining these efforts to prevent the re-establishment of transmission. Read more.
Guinea
Guinea has scaled up from its first large-scale dog vaccination campaign in 2023 to a nationwide, data-driven rabies control programme, vaccinating hundreds of thousands of dogs while strengthening surveillance, community engagement and One Health collaboration to move closer to eliminating dog-mediated human rabies deaths. Read more.
WHO Rabies Survey Highlights Progress and Gaps in its Africa Region
A new WHO survey of rabies programmes in the African Region found encouraging progress in national planning, surveillance and One Health coordination, while highlighting the need for stronger reporting of rabies deaths, animal bites, post-exposure prophylaxis and dog vaccination data to better track progress towards elimination. Read more.
Supporting Country-led Action for Rabies Prevention and Control
WHO worked closely with several countries in the African Region to better understand national priorities, strengthen collaboration and improve rabies reporting and surveillance. Based on identified needs, WHO provided targeted support for country-led activities working towards the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies.
Benin
Adapted WHO training materials to the national context and trained frontline health and community workers to strengthen rabies prevention, surveillance and bite case management.
Ethiopia
Developed standardized Integrated Bite Case Management (IBCM) assessment tools and conducted assessments in six hotspot regions to strengthen integrated surveillance and One Health coordination.
Nigeria
Reviewed, tested and validated a national Rapid Response Toolkit for Rabies, establishing a standardized One Health framework for surveillance and outbreak response.
Rwanda
Updated national rabies guidelines and training materials and strengthened workforce capacity through nationwide training of clinicians, surveillance officers and data managers.
Senegal
Strengthened health worker capacity on updated post-exposure prophylaxis protocols and advanced integrated surveillance and One Health coordination mechanisms.
How you can get involved
- Hosting a local awareness event
- Sharing educational resources in your community
- Vaccinating dogs against rabies
- Partnering with local organizations
- Sharing your story on social media
- Advocating for stronger rabies prevention policies
No contribution is too small, your actions matter. Because we are Stronger Together.
Use the official hashtags to share your activities and inspire action worldwide
#WorldRabiesDay #WorldRabiesDay2026 #WRD2026 #StrongerTogetherWRD