Citation | Sarah Cleaveland has been the central person driving research and policy of rabies elimination in the developing world. As a consequence of her work the global elimination of this frightening disease is now a realistic outcome by 2030. Not only has she undertaken detailed studies and field trials that have changed the perception of how to control this disease, she has also estimated the cost-effectiveness of how mass dog vaccination could lead to global elimination. Cleaveland played a central role in designing and developing a series of large-scale rabies elimination programmes that have been highly successful and informed the national strategies for rabies control and elimination in a number of countries including Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya, Philippines, and Indonesia. Her work has led to major shifts in policy among international human and animal health agencies, including The World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agricultural Organization of The United Nations (FAO) and World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Indeed, through her efforts, canine rabies is now recognised as a priority disease within the WHO neglected tropical disease cluster, with dates set for regional elimination and the objective of global elimination. |