I convey my greetings and best wishes to all fellow members of APCRI. It is now almost a year since our team was handed the baton of running the affairs of the association and I am happy to inform all members that some important activities have taken place in line with the objectives of our association for which I am indebted to the members, executive committee members and office bearers of the association.

I congratulate our Editor for bringing out in time the Journal and news letter. I am also happy to inform that the process of procuring the ISSN number has been initiated and our Editor is communicating with INSDOC regarding this matter and soon our journal will be indexed.

The APCRI slides on rabies prophylaxis which was designed in 2001 have been updated and hosted on the website, this herculean task was accomplished as a result of the contributions of leading experts in the field of rabies who met and deliberated at the national workshop conducted under the aegis of APCRI at Hyderabad in February 2006. I express my heartfelt thanks to the Director IPM, Hyderabad and her team for successfully organizing the workshop. The APCRI Rabies prevention guidelines book is under preparation and will be available shortly. The association has also brought out a poster to disseminate information on post exposure prophylaxis at the treating physician level. This poster will be made available to all interested free of cost ensuring due recognition to APCRI.

The APCRICON 2006 will be held at Jammu on 7^th & 8^th July, 2006 and I take this opportunity to wish the organizers all success.

The long awaited permission for the Intra Dermal Rabies Vaccination (IDRV) by the Drug Controller General of India has been given and in this regard I appeal to the members of APCRI to strive to ensure its proper implementation across the country. This assumes greater significance in the light of the acute shortage of vaccines across the country. I on behalf of APCRI humbly submit to the concerned authorities that the expertise available with the association will be made available to address the issue of implementation of IDRV.

The next concern we have to address is the issue of use of RIGs, the situation of non-availability of the products has been overcome to a great extent by the entry of private manufacturers. I call upon our fellow members to be instruments of change by creating awareness about the need for using RIGs. I call upon our members to organize training programmes to empower treating physicians to provide proper care.

I take this opportunity to impress upon the concerned authorities the urgent need to initiate a National Rabies Control Programme encompassing medical and veterinary sectors. This I feel is an effective way to address the burgeoning problem of rabies more so in the light shortage of resources.

I conclude by soliciting your continued support for achieving the noble goal of our association to render our beloved country ‘RABIES FREE’.

Long live APCRI.

                                                                                                                          Dr. B J Mahendra
Bangalore                                                                                                                                                           President
6^th July, 2006                                                                                                                                           APCRI