Sri Lanka, July 9 -- The Animal Welfare Coalition Sri Lanka has lodged a formal complaint with the Bribery Commission against senior Health Ministry officials, alleging the misuse of Rs. 200 million allocated for the National Rabies Control Programme in the 2024 and 2025 national budgets.

Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara stressed the urgent need for the Health Ministry to start dog sterilization programmes across the country to help stop the spread of rabies.

He warned that the failure to carry out sterilizations will result in an increased stray dog population, posing a serious public health risk.

The complaint highlights the complete suspension of the national dog sterilization programme in 2025, as well as the failure to utilise 50% of the a...