Once bitten, twice shy: Stray dog attacks spread trepidation

KARACHI:

Nobody stepping outside of the house for work, errands or recreation anticipates making an unexpected trip to the nearest emergency room after being bitten by a random stray dog lurking around the road however, as an uncontrolled breeding of stray dogs in the port city leads to a growing population of wild canines seeking their next victim, families leaving their houses might have to accommodate an unforeseen dog bite in their schedules.

Nonetheless, the plight of the injured locals and their families does not end when they reach the closest hospital since a shortage of the rabies vaccine, only exacerbates their anxiety over the sudden predicament.

For instance, Shahrukh, a resident of Liaquatabad, encountered a similar situation when his eight year old son was bitten by a dog just outside his house “Instead of dropping him off to school, I had to rush him to the emergency at the Abbassi Shaheed Hospital, where there was no vaccine available for rabies,” shared Shahrukh.

Similarly, Khurram, another local, conveyed his exasperation at having to dodge wild, stray dogs during the dark hours of the night. “Stray dogs bark at the sight of an unknown person, and when the person attempts to escape, the ferocious canines start chasing them before they finally attack. Not only do these dogs attack pedestrians but they also chase people riding motorcycles,” revealed Khurram, who further added that no interest was shown by the authorities in addressing such unfortunate incidents.

According to Javed Qureshi, a senior journalist, the abundance of stray dogs lurking around different areas of Karachi including Lyari, Baldia Town, Liaquatabad, Sher Shah, Orangi Town, Malir, North Karachi and Kemari, has reached an alarmingly high level, due to which the citizens are very worried.

“The local bodies had claimed that work would be done on a scientific basis to stop the uncontrolled breeding of wild dogs, but this matter has also been postponed. Moreover, many government hospitals do not have access to the medications required for treating dog bites,” claimed Qureshi.

“So far, the local authorities have been unable to devise a policy for curbing the breeding of stray dogs in Karachi. Special units for the treatment of dog bites must be set up in all government hospitals on an urgent basis,” assessed Kaleem-ul-Haq Usmani, Nazim of the local union council.

Expanding on the matter, Dr Romana Farhat, Head of Anti-rabies Management Planning at the Civil Hospital, warned that a dog bite can lead to a fatal rabies infection in case the wound is not immediately treated, and a vaccine is not available.

Read: 10 children among 16 injured in dog attacks

“Once infected by the rabies virus, the patient’s body starts to change. Their eyes turn red and sensitive, and they also develop a fever. Death is highly likely if the rabies virus is transmitted to the human body and treatment is not given” explained Dr Farhat, who added that treating a dog bite costs anywhere between Rs1000 to Rs7000.

“Our hospital does not have access to the anti-rabies vaccine. Therefore, when an infected patient comes to the hospital, they have to arrange the vaccine themselves,” confirmed Dr Naseem, Medical Superintendent at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

The lack of access of hospitals to the anti-rabies vaccine is evident in the high number of patients who developed rabies after a dog bite. As per a report by the Indus Hospital, in 2023, 13,000 people were diagnosed with rabies, out of which five died during treatment.

Similarly, according to Dr Khalid Bukhari, Dr Nausheen, and Dr Atiq, respective representatives of the Civil Hospital, Jinnah Hospital and Liaquatabad Hospital, a total of 26,460 cases of rabies were reported in 2023.

Speaking to the Express Tribune on the matter, Samira Hussain, the Project Director of the Rabies Control Program said, “Three centers have been set up in Karachi to control the population of stray dogs. A scientific method involving the usage of special injections, will be adopted to stop the breeding of stray dogs.”

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2024.