At least 3,227 people were bitten by dogs across Rwanda in 2025, with four deaths confirmed from rabies, the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) has said.
The figures were released during a rabies awareness campaign held in Ngoma District, part of RBC’s ongoing efforts to prevent Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
Rabies remains one of the most concerning NTDs due to its severe and often fatal impact on human health, particularly among children.
RBC said rabies kills an estimated 59,000 people globally each year, with transmission most commonly occurring through bites from infected dogs.
Rabies attacks the brain in both animals and humans and is almost always fatal if not treated promptly.
Nathan Hitiyaremye, an officer in charge of NTD prevention at RBC, said prevention remains the most effective defence, warning that survival chances are extremely low once symptoms appear.
“When a person contracts rabies from a dog, it almost always leads to death,” he said.
He stressed that anyone bitten by a dog should immediately seek medical attention to receive timely treatment and post-exposure vaccination.
Hitiyaremye also emphasised that the first critical step after a dog bite is washing the wound thoroughly with clean water and soap for at least 15 minutes, a measure that significantly reduces the risk of infection.
RBC said it is working closely with various partners to ensure adequate supplies of medicines and vaccines, and is collaborating with Zipline to deliver emergency medical supplies where needed.
Children have been prioritised in the awareness campaign, as global data shows that 40 percent of rabies-related deaths occur among children under the age of 15.
RBC noted that eliminating rabies requires coordinated efforts involving health authorities, schools, parents, and communities to protect lives and reduce preventable deaths.
