Almost all the district hospitals and most of the private pharmacies in Jammu are running out of anti-rabies injections, adding to the suffering of patients.
Under such conditions, all the patients bitten by the stray dogs are rushing to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H) Jammu for treatment.
Authorities at the Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar, Jammu claimed that the supplier has stopped the vaccine supply due to shortage of injections. “On an average, 10-12 people bitten by stray dogs come to my shop and demand anti-rabies injection, but since we are facing shortage of injections, patients return empty-handed,” a pharmacist outside the Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar told Greater Kashmir.
Another medical shop owner said, “We ran out of stock about 2 weeks ago and since then our supplier has not provided us the fresh supply of injections.”
“May be within two or three days, the supply of injections will be restored,” a pharmacist outside SMGS Hospital said.
Bindu Singh, mother of a minor girl from RS Pura area said, “I have travelled all the way to reach Gandhi Nagar Hospital hoping that my daughter, who was bitten by dogs, gets treatment, but I got to know that this hospital is also facing shortage of injections.”
The lady said, “Tomorrow, I will admit my daughter to GMC&H for better treatment.”
When contacted by Greater Kashmir, Medical Superintendent Gandhi Nagar Hospital Dr ADS Manhas said, “Our supply of anti-rabies injections has been stopped by the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited since some time. Once the supply will be restored, the patients will be provided the vaccination.”