The World Health Organization has validated Bhutan as having eliminated dog-mediated human rabies as a public health problem. Bhutan has recorded zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies since June 2023, making it the first country in the WHO South-East Asia Region and one of only three countries worldwide to reach the milestone.
The achievement came from more than a decade of dog vaccination, accessible post-exposure treatment, veterinary and health-worker collaboration, and community participation. It is a useful example of public health as steady shared work rather than a single dramatic breakthrough.