Deeply embedded in local social, cultural, and religious settings, traditional healing is part of dog
bite and
rabies management in many
rabies endemic countries.
Faith healing, which usually encompasses a more holistic approach to health including physical, mental and social dimensions, is rare in the context of
rabies. In Gujarat, Western India, the Hindu goddess Hadkai Mata is worshiped by low-caste communities as the Mother of
Rabies in the event of a dog
bite to a person or their livestock. This belief might influence people's attitudes and behaviors toward
rabies prevention but has never been investigated. Through 31 in-depth interviews with healers and staff of Hadkai Mata temples, this paper explores the system of knowledge around dog and human
rabies that is built and shared in these places of worship and healing. Qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed looking for convergences and divergences with the recently launched National Action Plan for dog-mediated
Rabies Elimination. Results suggest that while the etiology of human
rabies as a social illness is usually explained as the goddess's wish to correct misbehaving people and restore positive interpersonal relations, there is some appreciation for the biological processes of
infection that lead to
rabies as a physical disease. Hadkai Mata is believed to cure
rabies if her patients undergo the necessary process of moral growth. Although conventional post-exposure prophylaxis is not opposed per se, it is often delayed by patients who seek traditional treatment first. Some reluctance was expressed toward mass dog vaccination because it is seen as an interference in how the goddess controls dogs, by enraging them-hence infecting them with
rabies-and sending them to
bite wrongdoers. Addressing these cultural perceptions is likely to be critical in achieving effective control of dog
rabies in this region. The study highlights the value of multidisciplinary approaches in the control and elimination of
rabies, as well as other
zoonoses. This includes the importance of understanding different culturally- and religiously- mediated ways in which humans relate to animals; and looking for points of convergence and mutual understanding, upon which context-tailored, linguistically-accurate, locally acceptable, feasible and effective strategies can be designed.