Walking a Community Toward Rabies Zero
A child is bitten by a stray dog in a remote barangay. The family rushes to the nearest health facility, uncertain if vaccines are available or if anyone there knows what to do. In that moment, the entire rabies control system of a community is tested.
This is the reality that Local Government Units (LGUs) and Animal Bite Centers (ABCs) live with every day. Rabies is fatal, yet entirely preventable. What determines whether lives are saved is not medical discovery, but whether vaccines are present, accessible, and trusted.
There are provinces that once record double-digit rabies deaths every year. Instead of accepting the numbers, they commit to province-wide coordination: mass dog vaccination, strict monitoring of animal populations, and education campaigns in schools. Deaths begin to fall, but the turning point comes when Animal Bite Centers never run out of vaccine. Families know that when they arrive at a clinic, protection is ready. The entire system gains credibility because supply is constant.
In dense urban centers, stray dogs roam every street and bite cases overwhelm emergency rooms. Some LGUs expand Animal Bite Centers into barangays and subsidize vaccination for both people and pets. The campaigns are effective not only because they reach more families, but because every center is stocked. When residents learn that treatment is available the same day, trust builds. Reliable vaccine flow, supported by stable suppliers, keeps the momentum alive.
In smaller towns, the presence of a single accredited Animal Bite Center changes behavior. Before, families delay care, fearing long travel or empty shelves. Now, the center assures residents: the vaccine is always here, cold chain is protected, and treatment is immediate. Staff can focus on education and wound care because the basics are guaranteed. Over time, families learn to seek help right after exposure instead of waiting until symptoms appear.
Across provinces, cities, and towns, best practices show a clear pattern:
- Intersectoral coordination – Health, veterinary, barangay, and education offices working together.
- Mass dog vaccination – Controlling rabies at the source.
- Surveillance and reporting – Ensuring every bite is recorded and followed up.
- Public awareness – Teaching families to act immediately after exposure.
- Reliable Animal Bite Centers – Accredited, staffed, and supplied.
- Sustained commitment – Rabies elimination as a policy priority.
But running through all of these is a common thread: no system succeeds without a steady supply of vaccines. The absence of doses at the moment of need undermines trust, breaks reporting chains, and costs lives.
The Philippines aims for zero human rabies deaths. The path is not theoretical; it is already visible in communities that coordinate, educate, and supply consistently. And at the center of this is vaccine availability.
This is the anchor of our work at One Top. We recognize that rabies prevention is only as strong as the assurance that vaccines are available in every community that needs them. By positioning ourselves as a reliable partner to local governments and Animal Bite Centers, we help remove the uncertainty from rabies control.
When vaccines are consistently accessible, health workers gain the confidence to sustain programs, parents gain the assurance that treatment will not be interrupted, and communities strengthen their trust in public health systems. Availability is not just about logistics—it is the backbone of protection, the bridge between awareness and action.
At One Top, we see our role not only as a supplier, but as a partner in enabling local best practices to take root. Community-based rabies prevention works when the pieces align, and our task is to make sure the most essential piece—the vaccine itself—is always in place.
Why ChiroRab Is the Ideal Vaccine for ABTCs
Proven Efficacy and Safety
ChiroRab is a second-generation Purified Chick Embryo Cell (PCEC) vaccine, prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO). With over 80 million doses administered globally, it has demonstrated:
- High Potency: Each dose contains ≥2.5 IU of inactivated rabies virus, meeting WHO standards for protective rabies virus-neutralizing antibody (RVNA) levels.
- Safety Across Populations: Suitable for children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals. Clinical trials have shown minimal side effects, with local reactions such as mild injection site pain being self-limiting.
Versatile Vaccination Schedules
ChiroRab offers flexibility in vaccination regimens, enabling ABTCs to cater to diverse patient needs:
- Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): Administered on Days 0, 7, and 21 or 28.
- Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP): Administered on Days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28, often combined with rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) for high-risk exposures.
Simplified Storage and Handling
ChiroRab is stable when stored at +2°C to +8°C, making it ideal for ABTCs in remote areas where maintaining a consistent cold chain can be challenging.
