Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya today (21) held a high-level discussion with representatives of leading UK-based animal welfare organisations, Battersea and the International Companion Animal Management Coalition (ICAM-UK), at the Parliament Complex on strengthening Sri Lanka's national programme to eliminate rabies, improve animal welfare, and manage the country's stray dog population.
During the meeting, the delegation proposed replacing the current target of vaccinating 70% of the dog population with the "No Dog Left Behind" approach, which aims to vaccinate as many dogs as possible using a three-year rabies vaccine. Experts said the strategy could significantly reduce the country's expenditure on post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) vaccines required for people bitten by potentially rabid animals.
The discussions also focused on addressing the shortage of veterinarians and administrative challenges by training and deploying local government personnel to carry out vaccination programmes. The proposal includes initially implementing the programme in the Western Province before expanding it islandwide.
The participants further discussed establishing a Presidential Task Force to oversee the initiative as a national priority, ensuring efficient coordination and implementation across all relevant institutions.
Experts also highlighted the importance of using high-quality vaccines, maintaining an effective vaccine cold chain, and strengthening central government oversight to ensure the success of the national rabies eradication programme.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya reaffirmed that animal welfare and the elimination of rabies remain key government priorities. She said the government is committed to resolving practical challenges and working closely with local authorities, relevant ministries, and international partners to successfully implement the national action plan.
The meeting was attended by Battersea representative Ms. Roxanne Sahar Nazir, ICAM representatives Dr. Elaine Francisca Hiby, Dr. Eric Joseph Brum, and Mr. Patrick Gerard, along with Dr. M. Ijas, Chief Veterinary Surgeon of the Colombo Municipal Council.
