Athagarh: Non-availability of anti-rabies vaccine for dog bite victims at the Athagarh sub-divisional hospital in Cuttack district over the last four months and in the local market has led to its price doubling in the black market, a report said Sunday.
The non-availability of the vaccine has sparked sharp resentment among the residents.
A dose of the vaccine that normally sells for Rs 300 is sold at twice that amount in the black market.
Dog bite victims have expressed serious concern over the development as they fear that non-availability of the vaccine might push their lives into danger.
The hospital is visited by patients from Athagarh, Badamba, Narasinghpur, Tigiria, Banki, Tangi-Choudwar and Dhenkanal regions who depend on the doctors here to avail healthcare services.
Sources said on an average 60 dog bite victims visit the hospital daily for treatment. However, non-availability of the vaccine in the hospital has shattered their hopes. This has happened due to non-supply of the vaccine by the state health department.
The vaccine was available in the hospital till September 2 but patients visiting the hospital later were left disappointed after they failed to get the vaccine. As a result, they had to shell out extra bucks to buy the vaccine from the local chemist shops or from Cuttack. Currently the vaccine is not available either in the hospital or in chemist shops.
At least eight persons were injured after they were bitten by dogs in Karikol, Joranda, Taradinga and Karakamal villages January 6. They visited the hospital for treatment but were left disappointed after they failed to get the vaccine.
Similarly, six students of St. Xavier’s High School in Athagarh town were rendered critical after they were bitten by a dog when they were on their way to attend the school annual function.
They searched for the vaccine in the hospital and in the local chemist shops but to no avail. Later, they visited the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack but there also they faced a similar problem in getting the vaccine. They finally got the vaccine after paying some extra bucks at a chemist shop.
Dr Bijay Kumar Mishra, sub-divisional medical officer, said that the vaccine is not available in any of the government hospital in the state. However, attention has been drawn of the authorities to procure the vaccine and supply it to the hospital at earliest.
PNN
