WATCH OUT for dogs. Avoid dog-bite seriously for rabies vaccines are out of stock and there is not a single vial of it, in the State Capital.
The available stock at the Balrampur hospital, the only referral centre for rabies vaccines in the city, got finished on Friday evening resulting in to a long queue today of those ‘smitten and bitten’ by dogs, at the emergency OPD.
A similar situation was reported from the nearby districts where this facility is available in the government hospitals.
As sources in the health department informed the reason for the lack of vaccines is tussle over the price of the vaccines from Rs 207 to Rs 266 per vial.
The health department had given one-year rate contract (RC) to a private firm @Rs 207 per rabies vaccine vial. With an increase in the price of vaccines the company demanded more money.
A proposal for increase in the price is pending in the department.
However, as the decision over price was not taken purchase of the vaccines through RC could not be done for last 15 days and hence the shortage came all of a sudden.
Balrampur not only serves the State Capital but it is also the referral hospital from several adjoining districts. It gets 150 cases of dog-bite every day.
{{/usCountry}}Balrampur not only serves the State Capital but it is also the referral hospital from several adjoining districts. It gets 150 cases of dog-bite every day.
{{/usCountry}}Added to the purchase anomaly there is another reason for the shortage.
“Earlier we used to cater five persons with a single vial of the vaccines but with the new technique much of the vaccine is goes as waste. This has further contributed to the shortage,” said a senior physician of the Balrampur Hospital.
So keep an eye on dogs when you move on streets, at least for another day, as the health department would not be able to solve the problem of shortage before Monday.
If you thought you could buy vaccines from market think again for it requires around Rs 1500 for one dose.