Now, get vaccines at Mani Majra Civil Hospital, GMSH-16

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 30

Now, anti-rabies vaccines are available round the clock in the city. Following a series of reports by the Chandigarh Tribune highlighting the unavailability of dog bite vaccines at health centres other than the designated dispensary in Sector 19 (that closes down at 3pm), the Health Department today procured vaccine stocks at the emergencies of the GMSH, Sector 16, and Civil Hospital, Mani Majra.

Now, to be vaccinated for dog bite, patients will not have to wait till the next morning for the designated dispensary to open.

Following the incident of a ferocious dog biting 13 Mani Majra residents, including seven children on March 25, the Municipal Corporation officials officially stated that nearly 500 dog bite cases were reported in a month in the city.

On visiting the Emergency of GMSH-16 today, the Tribune correspondent found that vaccines were being stocked at the emergency unit of the hospital.

In the past two years, over 13,000 dog bite cases have been reported in the city.

For handling the load, the city until now had only one civic dispensary that closes at 3pm everyday and remains closed on Sunday.

The vaccination that costs Rs 150 at the dispensary, including injections of tetanus, anti-rabies vaccine and immune globulin serum, costs nearly Rs 3,000 in the market. In fact, the erratic supply of the serum (costing Rs 2,500 approx) at drug stores in the city (due to government cap on costs and hence low profit margins), is another challenge.

Anti-rabies camp organised in 2  phases at Mani Majra

City Mayor Poonam Sharma said the MC had organised anti-rabies vaccination camps covering 128 dogs in and around Mani Majra in two phases. She also said her meeting with animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi, which was scheduled on April 1, had been postponed.

Victim to be discharged after two days

A six-year-old victim who was bitten by a stray dog on lips will be discharged from the PGI after two days. Her stitches have been removed and she has been suggested to visit plastic surgeons after two weeks for assessment on a further requirement of surgery for restoration of appearance.