Shortage of anti-rabies vaccines

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 20

The anti-rabies vaccines at the Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs Memorial Civil Hospital are out of stock for the past more than a week. Due to it, economically weak patients are facing a problem as they have to buy these at a higher price from private chemists.

The anti-rabies vaccines are provided free of cost to victims of dog bite after doctors’ prescription at the hospital. Presently, as the injections are not available at the Civil Hospital, the patients have to spend money from their pocket.

Sources at hospital said that around 10 to 12 people come to the hospital daily for getting anti-rabies injection. With the city facing an acute problem of stray dogs, the incidents of dog bites are reported frequently.

A patient bitten by a dog requires at least five anti-rabies vaccines. Each of the vaccines costs over Rs 300 in the market. The Health Department has changed rules for providing these vaccines to patients from time to time to check their misuse. At present, patients are required to submit their Aadhar card to get a free vaccine.

Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Dr Rajinder Arora said the demand for vaccines had been sent to the warehouse. He stated that the vaccines would be made available within next two or three days.