Rabies has escalated sharply in Sindh, with over 41,000 cases reported last year and 21 deaths occurring nationwide. But Punjab still tops the list, with 150,000 cases occurring in the first six months of 2025. As a result, Punjab sees a total of 200-300 deaths occurring from dog bites each year. Indus hospital gets a load of patients from across the province, recording over 8,000 cases in the first three months alone. Health experts warn that rabies remains a deadly threat—starting with symptoms such as headache and a burning sensation at the bite site, before progressing to hydrophobia, fear of air, and sensitivity to light.
Experts say that given that there are hundreds of thousands of stray dogs, killing them has neither proved effective or practical. Instead, as countries like Mexico and Thailand have proven, vaccination and sterilization are the only effective method of treatment. At a wider level, society needs to change its attitude toward dogs to befriend them and make them faithful companions. It also needs to get rid of garbage dumps, where dogs feed off rotting foods and multiply. Only through timely treatment, public awareness, and sustained action can Karachi curb this preventable but deadly disease.
