Shortage of ARV heightens rabies threat in Sindh
Lack of funds has resulted in the shortfall of vaccine, says KMC official
PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
Following the shortfall of anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) at public hospitals across Sindh, dog-bite patients have become more prone to rabies.
The Sindh government has failed to provide the vaccine to healthcare facilities, including those working under Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), and hence, the vaccine remains unavailable at most public hospitals. However, it is available in limited stock at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Indus Hospital and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
Speaking on the issue, KMC Senior Medical Director Salma Kausal complained about the lack of funds, which has resulted in the shortage of ARVs. She said that the provincial government is not playing its due role in combatting the plague.
"Hospitals that operate under KMC are facing difficulties in acquiring ARV due to shortage of funds," she told The Express Tribune. "Moreover, the vaccine is also not available in the market, which adds to the problem," she said. "We have somehow arranged the vaccines but the provincial government is not cooperating with us," said the KMC official.
However, refuting her claims, Sindh Health Minister Azra Fazal Pechuho has said that the hospitals inform the department when they are running out of ARV. "The vaccine is immediately supplied to the hospitals when the department is informed about the shortage," she added.
On the other hand, the abundance of stray dogs in the province has made the situation worse. Exponential rise is observed in the number of dog-bite cases, with 8,800 cases being reported at JPMC in 2019, so far.
From Friday evening to Saturday morning, 21 dog bite victims were brought to JPMC. The victims belonged to Saddar and Lines Area. Speaking in this regard, JPMC Executive Director Seemi Jamali said that around 40 dog-bite patients are brought to the hospital daily. Similarly, Indus Hospital's Dr Naseem Salahuddin said that the hospital is receiving around 50 dog-bite cases every day and 6,500 cases have been registered at the healthcare facility so far, during 2019.
According to data provided by the Sindh Health Department, 1,22,566 people were bitten by dogs till August this year in Sindh. As per the health department's statistics, most number of dog-bites cases have been reported in Qambar, Dadu and Naushahro Feroze. As many as 11,935 cases have been reported in Qambar, 11,330 in Dadu and 10,847 in Naushahro Feroze.
Despite the alarming numbers, the Sindh Government has not been able to launch any effective anti-stray dogs campaign so far.
More than 18 people have died due to rabies in Sindh this year so far, but the efforts by the provincial government and KMC, to control the population of stray dogs and make ARV available at healthcare facilities, are falling short.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2019.
Following the shortfall of anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) at public hospitals across Sindh, dog-bite patients have become more prone to rabies.
The Sindh government has failed to provide the vaccine to healthcare facilities, including those working under Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), and hence, the vaccine remains unavailable at most public hospitals. However, it is available in limited stock at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Indus Hospital and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
Speaking on the issue, KMC Senior Medical Director Salma Kausal complained about the lack of funds, which has resulted in the shortage of ARVs. She said that the provincial government is not playing its due role in combatting the plague.
"Hospitals that operate under KMC are facing difficulties in acquiring ARV due to shortage of funds," she told The Express Tribune. "Moreover, the vaccine is also not available in the market, which adds to the problem," she said. "We have somehow arranged the vaccines but the provincial government is not cooperating with us," said the KMC official.
However, refuting her claims, Sindh Health Minister Azra Fazal Pechuho has said that the hospitals inform the department when they are running out of ARV. "The vaccine is immediately supplied to the hospitals when the department is informed about the shortage," she added.
On the other hand, the abundance of stray dogs in the province has made the situation worse. Exponential rise is observed in the number of dog-bite cases, with 8,800 cases being reported at JPMC in 2019, so far.
From Friday evening to Saturday morning, 21 dog bite victims were brought to JPMC. The victims belonged to Saddar and Lines Area. Speaking in this regard, JPMC Executive Director Seemi Jamali said that around 40 dog-bite patients are brought to the hospital daily. Similarly, Indus Hospital's Dr Naseem Salahuddin said that the hospital is receiving around 50 dog-bite cases every day and 6,500 cases have been registered at the healthcare facility so far, during 2019.
According to data provided by the Sindh Health Department, 1,22,566 people were bitten by dogs till August this year in Sindh. As per the health department's statistics, most number of dog-bites cases have been reported in Qambar, Dadu and Naushahro Feroze. As many as 11,935 cases have been reported in Qambar, 11,330 in Dadu and 10,847 in Naushahro Feroze.
Despite the alarming numbers, the Sindh Government has not been able to launch any effective anti-stray dogs campaign so far.
More than 18 people have died due to rabies in Sindh this year so far, but the efforts by the provincial government and KMC, to control the population of stray dogs and make ARV available at healthcare facilities, are falling short.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2019.