Bhat zahoor
BANDIPORA 14 JUNE (KNZ):Government-run District hospital in bandipora bdistrict are facing an acute shortage of anti-rabies vaccine as dog bite victims are forced to buy it from the open market on high prices, or sent 100 kilometers away to Srinagar for treatment.
During the last one month alone over hundrends of dog bite cases were reported in the district.
An official in the hospital said that three to five patients with dog bites visit every day, but only receive first aid.
A rare patient gets a single vaccine dose where five are required to be administered as full dose to ensure safety of a victim.
Mohammad Amir Shah from bandipora b visited DH bandipora for anti-rabies vaccine after his daughter was bitten by a dog few days earlier. But the medical staff turned him away saying they had no vaccine in the hospital.
“I am a farmer, after a day’s hardwork I hardly get paid 300 to 400 rupees, how can I afford 1600 rupees for these vaccines,” Shah said.
“When I visited this hospital for the treatment the doctors asked me to get my child vaccinated. I have to buy the vaccine from the market as hospital don’t have the supply,” said mubeena a resident of bandiporawhose child was bitten by a dog recently.
The vaccine is expensive and costs Rs 325 per shot, whereas in hospitals it is provided free. A dog bite victim needs five shots over a few weeks.
Anti-rabies vaccine must begin to be administered to a victim within 24 hours of a dog biting.
“I cannot afford to buy five vaccines from the market so I decided to travel to Sopore or Srinagar hospital for further treatment. Mubeena said.
An official at the DH bandipora admitted that attacks by canines have increased in the district in the recent past and private medical shops also were running thin on ati-rabies vaccine stocks.
When contacted block Medical officer he told that I am in meeting no comments and dropped phone call.KNZ
