Hanoi students join push to stop rabies at source

Résumé détaillé

A Hanoi event has brought together students and animal welfare organisations in a push to stop rabies at its source, using youth engagement and education as the driving force.…

The social enterprise Vietnam Social and Behaviour Change Communication for Sustainable Development (SBCC Vietnam) and Soi Dog Foundation, in collaboration with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA), hosted the event on November 11. Nearly 500 students, lecturers, and faculty staff took part, with the aim of equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and sense of responsibility to become behaviour change ambassadors in their communities.

Rabies is a zoonotic disease that is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, yet it is entirely preventable. In line with the global strategy of the World Health Organization (WHO), Vietnam has set a national goal of zero human deaths from rabies by 2030. Within the chain of transmission, the collection, transport, slaughter, and sale of dogs and cats for meat has been identified as one of the high-risk links for public health.

In response, Hanoi People’s Committee approved the pilot project in July 2025 for implementation in 14 wards of the city. The project is led by Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment/ Hanoi Sub-Department of Livestock Production, Fisheries, and Veterinary Medicine, with Soi Dog Foundation as the international partner and SBCC Vietnam providing technical assistance, behaviour change communication, and livelihood transition support.

Taking a One Health approach, the project combines rabies prevention with support for dog and cat meat businesses as they move, step by step, into safer and more sustainable livelihoods through three stages: vocational training, start-up support, and market linkage.

Students have been identified as a key force in this journey. Veterinary students in particular – the future veterinarians, epidemiologists, and animal welfare specialists – combine a solid professional foundation with the ability to carry messages to their families, friends, and online communities in a relatable and persuasive way.

The programme focused on…

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