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Two countries, one milestone: Chile and Bhutan have both received WHO validation for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem. Chile is the first South American country to earn the designation, while Bhutan is the first in the WHO South-East Asia Region. Both achievements were built on decades of dog vaccination campaigns, robust surveillance, and timely access to post-exposure prophylaxis.
Chile and Bhutan have each received WHO validation for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem — Chile as the first country in South America, and Bhutan as the first in the WHO South-East Asia Region. The recognitions, announced in September 2026, reflect decades of sustained national investment in dog vaccination, epidemiological surveillance, and timely access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
Chile's last human rabies case transmitted by dogs dates back to 1972. Its National Rabies Prevention and Control Programme includes free mass vaccination campaigns for dogs and cats, laboratory diagnostic capacity, and preventive vaccination in high-risk border areas. Bhutan, meanwhile, has maintained zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies since June 2023, driven by a One Health approach that united health workers, veterinarians, and community volunteers.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Rabies is nearly 100% fatal once symptoms appear, yet entirely preventable. These validations demonstrate that sustained, cross-sector investment in vaccination and surveillance can eliminate this deadly disease — offering a replicable blueprint for the dozens of countries still battling rabies, particularly in Asia and Africa, as the world works toward the Zero by 30 goal of ending human rabies deaths by 2030.
