Rabies Prevention?

Rabies remains to be one of the most fatal viruses not just in the Philippines, but in the whole world. In the Philippines alone, according to the Department of Health, 200-500 Filipinos die every year because of rabies making the Philippines the top six country that has the highest number of cases of rabies in the whole world. But what is rabies and do we only get it by being bitten by dogs? is a viral neuroinvasive disease that causes acute encaphalitis (inflammation of the brain ) in warm-blooded animals. It is zoonotic (i.e. transmitted by animals), most commonly by a bite from an infected animal but occasionally by other forms of contact. Rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms. Early-stage symptoms of rabies are malaise, headache and fever,later progressing to more serious ones, including acute pain, violent movements, uncontrolled excitement, depression and inability to swallow water. Finally, the patient may experience periods of mania and lethargy, followed by coma. The primary cause of death is usually respiratory insufficiency.

Last month, I and some of my classmates conducted a research about "tandok" or the native way of removing rabies. They are usually found in provinces here in the Philippines like Tarlac. Before they use "sungay ng kalabaw" but now, due to technology, they've created a somehow medical device. With this device, they prick you, and the device will suck the blood with rabies. They said that the color and texture of the blood is different from a normal blood. We tried to interview a doctor and we are very fortunate to have Dr. Leendon LeeSuy, a Medical Specialist of Department of Health. He told us that it will still be better to go to doctors and have a medical way of preventing virus which is having anti-rabies injections since it is proven unlike with "tandok" where in there is still no medical and scientific evidence that it really works. He also stressed out that Rabies cannot be seen by our naked eye and those blood that they were talking about are merely clotted blood.

At the end of the day, It really depends on a person if he will believe in Tandok, and it depends if he will believe that the rabies will be prevented, it's all about his faith.

-article by ALBERT R. SISON JR.