A recent Right to Information (RTI) request has brought to light a discrepancy in the reported rabies-related deaths in Delhi, revealing a concerning contradiction between official government data and on-the-ground realities. According to the RTI response, at least 18 individuals have died from rabies in Delhi since 2022. This contrasts sharply with the Union government's statement in Parliament, which claimed that the capital recorded zero human rabies deaths between January 2022 and January 2025.
The data obtained through the RTI comes from Maharshi Valmiki Infectious Diseases (MVID) Hospital, Delhi's only dedicated infectious disease facility, which operates under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The MVID Hospital reported six rabies deaths in 2022, two in 2023, and ten in 2024. These figures directly contradict the written statement submitted by the Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in the Lok Sabha earlier this year.
While the Minister's parliamentary response claimed zero rabies deaths, it did acknowledge a significant increase in reported animal bite cases in Delhi. The number of cases rose from 6,691 in 2022 to 25,210 in 2024, indicating a potential rise in rabies exposure despite the "zero deaths" claim. In January 2025 alone, 3,196 cases were recorded. This data mismatch raises serious questions about the accuracy of health surveillance and reporting mechanisms in place for rabies, a disease that is preventable but almost always fatal once symptoms manifest.
The discrepancy in data has prompted concerns about the coordination between different health surveillance systems and the reliability of data collection. Parliamentary records indicate that states are required to upload monthly figures on rabies and dog bite cases to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) portal, which the central government uses for national estimates. This process is intended to enhance the surveillance of rabies cases and animal bites across the country.
In response to the revealed data discrepancies, Himanshu Sharma, the additional private secretary to Minister Baghel, stated that the ministry could not comment without seeking a proper response from the department.
These conflicting reports undermine the goals of India's National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination by 2030. This plan relies on accurate data for effective implementation. The plan, overseen by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for human health surveillance and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying for animal health, emphasizes mass dog vaccination, sterilization programs, and the availability of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin in government hospitals. Experts emphasize that post-bite vaccination is crucial in preventing the disease, and recommend rabies immune globulin for flesh wounds. Concerns about vaccine quality have also been raised.
In 2022, Delhi reported the highest number of rabies-related deaths in India with 48 fatalities.
