Rajasthan Government’s Claim of Zero Rabies Deaths Contradicted by SMS Hospital Data

Jaipur: Rajasthan government’s assertion that no deaths from rabies occurred in the state over the past 18 months has come under scrutiny. Data from SMS Hospital’s Infection Department tells a different story, revealing that two to three rabies cases emerge every month, and nearly all of them are fatal.

Alarming Findings at SMS Hospital
SMS Hospital, the largest healthcare facility in Rajasthan, treats rabies patients from across the state. According to hospital sources, most victims are admitted in critical condition, often requiring isolation wards to protect their families. Patients are also administered post-exposure rabies vaccines as a precaution. However, once clinical rabies develops, there is no effective treatment, making the disease almost invariably fatal.

Testing Gaps Mask the True Toll
Accurate statistics on rabies-related deaths remain elusive due to insufficient testing facilities. Only when post-mortem brain sampling confirms rabies are fatalities officially recorded as such. This limitation means that several deaths do not appear in government records, raising questions about the reliability of the state’s official claims.

Deadly Nature of Rabies
Medical experts reiterate that rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms appear. In 2024–25 alone, approximately 30 patients with severe hydrophobia and aerophobia from animal bites were admitted to SMS Hospital. Most survived only three to four days despite intensive intravenous hydration and palliative care.

This revelation highlights a serious public health concern in Rajasthan and underscores the urgent need for improved rabies surveillance, testing, and awareness programs to prevent future fatalities.