Karnal hospital short of anti-rabies shot

Tribune News Service

Karnal, January 20

The civil hospital here is facing shortage of anti-rabies vaccine for about a month, forcing victims to buy it from the market at a higher rate.

This situation has persisted a at time when the city is facing the stray dog menace for a long time, due to which incidents of dog bite are frequent.

Patients belonging to SC, BC and BPL families are provided the vaccine free at government hospitals, while general category patients are charged Rs 100. Sources claim that shortage of the vaccine is a frequent occurrence, increasing hardship for patients time and again.

A dog bite victim requires five injections, costing around Rs 300 each in the market. In the absence of anti-rabies vaccine, poor patients are finding it difficult to purchase it from the market. The sources claim that between 150 and 200 cases of dog bite are reported every month. The data for November shows 160 cases. The anti-rabies vaccine went out of stock in the middle of December.

Dr Ravinder Sandhu, Additional Senior Medical Officer, claimed that they had brought around 200 doses of the vaccine from the Ambala warehouse. “We have sent an order and brought 200 vials from Ambala for the time being. It will help us cater to needs of patients for the time being,” he said.