Rabies used to be a serious public health threat in Bhutan, especially in the southern border districts. Now, the country is on the verge of a major achievement: eliminating dog-mediated human rabies for good.
This progress didn't happen overnight. It is the result of strong government leadership, years of sustained surveillance, rapid outbreak response, easy access to rabies vaccines after exposure, mass dog vaccination drives, better dog population management, and strong collaboration between human and animal health sectors.
Bhutan has not recorded a single human rabies case since 2023—more than two years running. Having met WHO's requirements, Bhutan put together its official National Dossier on the Elimination of Dog-Mediated Human Rabies and asked WHO to independently validate this achievement in June 2026.
From 18–21 August 2026, a team of international experts visited Bhutan to verify Bhutan's claim. They verified surveillance and programme data, carried out field visits, assessed programme implementation efforts, and met with key stakeholders across human and animal health sectors.
The team confirmed Bhutan's progress and offered recommendations to help sustain Bhutan's achievements.