Moldova receives second batch of rabies vaccine
The second batch of rabies vaccine for this year has arrived at the central warehouse of the National Agency for Public Health. It will be distributed to various regional offices across the country. The National Health Insurance Company (CNAM) allocated over 1.5 million lei to purchase 11,700 doses.
The rabies vaccine is designed to prevent rabies in both children and adults. It is administered as part of preventive immunization and also following potential exposure to the rabies virus. According to CNAM, the vaccine batch was delivered on time and meets all specified contractual requirements.
"The delivery was accompanied by all confirmatory documents regarding compliance with quality standards and the continuous maintenance of the cold chain during transit. This includes certificates of conformity and origin, as well as the testing protocol executed by the manufacturer," stated the institution.
For 2026, over 2.7 million lei has been allocated from the prevention measures fund to purchase 20,700 doses of the rabies vaccine. The first shipment, which included 9,000 vaccine doses and 40 vials of rabies immunoglobulin, was received in January.
Rabies is a severe viral disease that targets the central nervous system. It is typically transmitted through the bite or scratch of an infected animal or through contact with its saliva on an open wound or mucous membranes. While it can be prevented with timely post-exposure treatment, the disease is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear.
Experts recommend that if an individual is bitten or scratched by an animal suspected of having rabies, they should immediately wash the wound with soap and water. Then they must urgently visit the nearest medical facility, where a doctor will assess the risk of infection and, if necessary, initiate administration of the rabies vaccine and, in some cases, rabies immunoglobulin.
Treatment should start as quickly as possible. Once clinical symptoms develop—such as fever, pain at the bite site, difficulty swallowing, muscle spasms, or hydrophobia—the vaccine can no longer halt the disease's progression, and rabies is almost always fatal.
