South Kashmir hospitals without anti-rabies vaccine for 3 months

As incidents of stray dogs biting residents have been increasing, government-run hospitals in southern Kashmir have run out of anti-rabies vaccine three months ago.

According to officials at the district hospital in Anantnag,one of the largest in Kashmir valley, at least 75 patients with dog bites turnup every month for treatment.

   

However, since three months there is no ARV available at thehospital forcing the victims of dog bites to either purchase expensive fromopen market or rush to Srinagar hospitals 50 kilometers away.

“These vaccines are not even easily available in the market.This is an alarming situation and health authorities are least concerned,” anofficial said, adding poor patients faced difficulties traveling to Srinagarfive times in 28 days for the required dosage.

“A few days earlier a patient from a remote village ofKokernag who was badly bitten turned up at the hospital. He was very poor andpleaded to be vaccinated, but had to return disappointed,” another official atthe Anantnag hospital said.

He said that the situation in other district hospitals inKulgam, Pulwama and Shopian was no different.  

A health official said that even in SMHS Srinagar vaccineswas available are only for patients who suffered “severe dog-bites in thehead.”

“Most of the dog bites were left untreated,” he said, addingthe shortage of ARV risked many lives.

The official said that the Jammu and Kashmir MedicalSupplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) responsible maintaining stock stoppedprocuring and supplying vaccines to the hospitals since manufacturers tacked uprates.

Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Kunzes Dolma admittedARV shortage in hospitals, saying the vaccines were not being supplied tovalley hospitals now.

“The entire country was confronting the same problem andthis was at manufactures level only,” said Dolma, adding that the departmentwas trying to make the vaccines available.

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