• Ecuador aims to become one of the first rabies free countries in Latin America.
• Joint efforts with the Ministry of Public Health focus on vaccination, education and epidemiological surveillance.
• Boehringer Ingelheim announces critical support to the project at the international One Health Summit in Lyon, France
At the international One Health Summit, organized by the French government to mark World Health Day on April 7, Boehringer Ingelheim announced its support of Ecuador's efforts in eliminating rabies.
Ecuador is taking important steps towards becoming the second country in Latin America, after Mexico, to eliminate dog-mediated rabies by 2030, following the guidelines of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which emphasize mass dog vaccination, strengthened epidemiological surveillance, and timely access to post-exposure prophylaxis. Rabies is a viral disease, which is almost always fatal once clinical symptoms appear. Globally, dogs are the primary source of human rabies infections, accounting for more than 99% of cases.
Ecuador is intensifying prevention measures and strengthening the national response to rabies, which remains a global challenge to public health. These efforts are being driven through the Ecuador Free of Rabies project, coordinated by the Ministry of Public Health and implemented in close collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim's Stop Rabies program. The project brings together the public sector, academia, NGOs, and the local communities to advance coordinated action on prevention through the following three areas:
1. Strengthen surveillance for a robust health response. The project contributes to a stronger national health surveillance software system, which is essential for disease control. Improved detection, timely reporting, and coordination among health services, territorial teams, and diagnostic laboratories ensure that suspected cases are managed in accordance with international protocols. According to PAHO, strengthening the rabies surveillance system can also contribute to broader public-health surveillance capacities, including for other zoonotic diseases such as malaria, zika, chikungunya or dengue.
2. Education and public awareness. This strategic pillar aims to reach four million children in the National Education System by 2030. To achieve this goal the project develops actions to educate the community on responsible pet ownership, proactive prevention, and how to respond in the event of a potential rabies exposure.
3. Vaccination as a cornerstone of elimination. The Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador has worked tirelessly for more than 20 years on immunization efforts. As a result, no dog to human rabies transmission cases have been reported in Ecuador since 2006. According to PAHO, ensuring over 80% of the dog population is vaccinated is essential to interrupt the transmission cycle and move toward elimination. Therefore, the project reinforces the importance of dog vaccination and responsible pet ownership as a key element for prevention.
The Ecuador Free of Rabies project aims to move towards rabies elimination and contributes to the global Zero by 30 ambition to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. The project seeks to build local capacities, promote a culture of prevention, and establish solid foundations to address public health challenges in Ecuador more effectively.
"Eliminating rabies requires a sustained commitment, close collaboration and coordinated action. We are proud to support Ecuador in its surveillance, education and vaccination efforts to help strengthen protection for people and animals," commented Claire Fowler, Member of the Animal Health Executive Committee at Boehringer Ingelheim.
Building on over 40 years of experience working in rabies prevention and management, Boehringer Ingelheim launched its global Stop Rabies program in 2022 under the umbrella of its Sustainable Development for Generations strategy. The aim is to take concrete steps to help eliminate this deadly, yet preventable disease through a three-pillar approach: vaccination, education, and surveillance.
"Through Stop Rabies, we are committed to working side by side with national authorities, local partners and communities to strengthen prevention and actions, where it matters most," says Thaïs Vila, Rabies Franchise Manager and Stop Rabies Program Lead at Boehringer Ingelheim.
Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company active in both human and animal health. As one of the industry's top investors in research and development, the company focuses on developing innovative therapies that can improve and extend lives in areas of high unmet medical need. Independent since its foundation in 1885, Boehringer takes a long-term perspective, embedding sustainability along the entire value chain. Our approximately 54,300 employees serve over 130 markets to build a healthier and more sustainable tomorrow. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com.
About Boehringer Ingelheim - Animal Health business
Boehringer Ingelheim provides first-in-class innovation for preventing and treating diseases in animals. The company offers a wide range of vaccines, parasite-control products, and medicines for pets, horses, and livestock to veterinarians, animal owners, farmers, and governments. As a leader in animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim values that the health of humans and animals is deeply connected and strives to make a difference for people, animals, and society. Learn more at boehringer-ingelheim.com/animal-health. For more information, visit www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/animal-health.
