Rabies vaccine shortage dogs civic hospitals

SHOCKING AS it may sound, municipal hospitals in the city do not have adequate stocks of the anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) though they together treat around 130 dog bite cases daily.

Hospital authorities blame the delay on the failure of the civic standing committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to take any decision on a proposal moved before it in May.

As a result, the 50-odd civic hospitals and dispensaries, which administer the ARV free of cost to victims of dog bite, are able to stock just a week’s supply of the vaccine at a time. The norm is one month’s supply.

“Our hospital gets around 30 to 40 dog bite cases daily. There is a problem with stocks, and we ask the public health department to give us the vaccines as and when the need arises,” said Dr Sanjay Oak, Dean, BYL Nair Hospital. “At times we send dog bite cases to the nearby dispensary at the F South ward office at Elphinstone Road due to lack of vaccines,” added Dr Nilima Kshirsagar.

The city has an estimated 5 lakhstrong stray dog population and around 50,000 bites cases are reported annually by civic hospitals. As dog bites are absolutely random events and the number of cases in a day, week or month can exceed the average, even far exceed it, it is absolutely essential not to run out of the vaccine.

While the civic administration has the option of purchasing the ARV from the open market at a higher rate, it can only purchase vaccines worth Rs 10 lakh at one go. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act of 1888 restricts the number of vials that may be bought.

Standing committee chairperson Ravindra Waikar said the May proposal will be discussed in the next meeting on Wednesday. The May proposal to acquire 6.38 lakh vials of the ARV at a cost of Rs 10 crore was objected to by the corporators who said certain questions about quality remained unanswered. Necessary clarifications were given three weeks ago, but no decision has yet been taken.

Mangal Mange Bhanushali, Chairperson, BMC Health Committee, said the delay was hitting the poor hard. “Most people coming to us with dog bites are from the lower economic groups who cannot afford private treatment,” he said.

GOING TO THE 109 Number of rabies-related deaths in the last five years 5lakh Estimated number of stray dogs in Mumbai 50,000 Annual average of dog bite cases in civic hospitals 1,000 Strays sterilised by NGOs per month

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