Hyderabad: Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), the world’s largest manufacturer of rabies vaccines and a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board, has announced it will provide 5 lakh doses of veterinary anti-rabies vaccines under its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative. The vaccines will be administered to free roaming dogs across the country as part of the “One Health” mission, which links animal health, human health and community well-being.
IIL plays a key role in India’s vaccine self-sufficiency through its portfolio of both animal and human vaccines. It is the country’s largest producer of anti-rabies vaccines, with a 70 per cent share of the animal vaccine market and 41 per cent of the human vaccine market. The company was the first in India to develop a Vero cell-based anti-rabies vaccine for humans and supplies vaccines to both domestic and international markets, reaching 50 countries, particularly in the developing world.
Explaining the initiative, Managing Director Dr K Anand Kumar said, “It is important to create awareness among the general public about avoiding human-animal conflict for peaceful coexistence. Systematic vaccination of all dogs whether it be free roaming or a pet is necessary for comprehensive control of rabies. Several countries have eliminated rabies through a multi-pronged approach.”
The company has been running multiple CSR initiatives to support rabies control in India. These include sponsoring the “Rabies Free Thiruvananthapuram” project in Kerala, donating 1 lakh doses annually on World Zoonosis Day and World Rabies Day, and conducting its “Fearless Against Rabies” social media campaign to highlight that rabies is entirely preventable with timely vaccination.
BI Bureau
