"If you are bitten or scratched by an animal in Pokhara, immediately take action by following these essential post-exposure steps:

1. Immediate First Aid: Wash the wound thoroughly under running water with soap for at least 15 minutes to clear out viral particles.
2. Clinical Evaluation: Visit a travel medicine clinic immediately to assess the wound severity and determine whether Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG) is required alongside the standard vaccine.
3. Initiate Vaccination: Receive your first post-exposure rabies vaccine dose as soon as possible on the day of the bite.
4. Follow the Schedule: Adhere strictly to the required multi-dose follow-up schedule to ensure full immunity.

For previously unvaccinated individuals, the WHO post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) protocol requires a four-dose vaccine series administered on Day 0 (the day of the bite), Day 3, Day 7, and Day 14 (with an optional Day 28 dose depending on clinical factors), or a two-dose booster on Days 0 and 3 for those with verified prior rabies immunization. For severe Category III bites or high-risk species, Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG) is infiltrated directly into and around the wound site on Day 0 to provide immediate protection while active immunity develops. At private travel clinics, individual cell-culture vaccine doses generally range from $15 to $35 USD each, while complete post-exposure management—including physician consultation fees, wound cleaning and dressing, and specialized Rabies Immunoglobulin—typically ranges between $100 and $250 USD overall, both of which are fully eligible for direct billing or reimbursement through major international travel insurance policies."