The anti-rabies vaccination should be carried out at all major hospitals of the municipal corporation, but the vaccine has been out of stock at almost all of them. (File)As the municipal corporation hospitals in Delhi are witnessing a shortage of anti-rabies vaccination with only 5,000 doses left, the situation is more alarming at Hindu Rao hospital where the vaccine has not been available in the last four months.
A senior doctor at the hospital said that the institution does not purchase anti-rabies vaccine on its own but is provided by the public health department. The shortage is at a time when several dog bite cases are being reported in the national capital region.
According to another doctor, the patients coming to Hindu Rao are mostly sent to Maharishi Valmiki Infectious Disease Hospital (MVID).
However, a staffer of the MVID said that while the anti-rabies serum(for immediate protection from the infection) is in stock, rabipur vaccine doses are fewer.
Similar was the case at Kasturba Hospital. “We have not had the anti-rabies vaccine in a long time. It’s been 3-4 years, and we have been referring our patients to either Lady Hardinge or Ram Manohar Lohia hospitals to get the vaccination,” said a doctor on the condition of anonymity.
The patients at Rajan Babu are also referred to MVID due to its proximity.
Meanwhile, the Medical Superintendent of Swami Dayanand Hospital, Dr Mukesh Kumar, said that though they have the anti-rabies vaccine, more stock has been sought from the authorities.
In view of rising dog-bite incidents, MCD had also asked residents to register their pets and warned that action may be taken for non-compliance with the norm.
According to a senior official at MCD, a tender for the vaccine has been floated by various health units of the corporation. The anti-rabies vaccination should be carried out at all major hospitals of the municipal corporation, but the vaccine has been out of stock at almost all of them.
The official said that through the tender issued, the corporation will procure 30,000 doses to be provided to all prominent MCD hospitals and some polyclinics.