A total of 184,926 people sought medical treatment for dog bites in 2024, Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said.
Addressing Parliament yesterday (20), he revealed that the highest number of cases was reported from the Gampaha District.
The Minister also noted that the government spends between Rs. 850 million to one billion rupees annually on treating dog bite victims.
Providing district-specific data, he stated that in Trincomalee alone, 4,035 people were bitten by dogs in 2024. Of these cases, 3,275 were caused by stray dogs, while 759 incidents involved domestic dogs.
In response to a question raised by Trincomalee District MP Imran Maharoof, Minister Jayatissa highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to control the situation. He reported that 30,881 female animals have been sterilized and 1,151,350 dogs have been vaccinated as part of nationwide measures to reduce stray dog populations and prevent rabies.
Additionally, the Minister announced that public awareness programmes would be launched to educate communities on responsible pet ownership and rabies prevention. The government aims to implement further initiatives to address the growing concern over dog bites and ensure public safety.
