Only seven months after Sindh Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah had very determinedly spoken of a plan to handle the menace of dog bites on a “scientitic bases,” the old challenge to the provincial health care system is back with new vigour to haunt its heartland. There have been as many as 600 cases reported in just one hospital in Karachi in the last two weeks. As per officials, patients are pouring in from all corners of the city; adding credence to an overwhelming increase in the population of dogs infected with rabies. Despite the repeated uproar in the media, the administration has largely failed in containing the threat. To this end, a stern instruction from the Sindh High Court regarding the suspension of any parliamentarian whose constituency reported a single attack has also failed to bring in the desired efficiency. This year, however, the crisis is likely to fast spin out of control because of speculations about government hospitals running out of rabies vaccines. That the Sindh government has not yet ensured the supply of lifesaving rabies immunoglobin to most of the public hospitals is another worrisome development. The recent spike suggests glaring loopholes in the last year’s vaccination drive. Back then, the local government had expressed a resolve to expand the exercise to other cities as well. However, if things continue to deteriorate to this end, the official would soon start looking for excuses to signal the heart-wrenching dog-culling campaign. Last time, much to the ire of the animal activists, the municipal corporation had killed almost 110,000 stray dogs while providing no answers about the Rs 930 million fund earmarked for immunisation. Killing animals but not taking any concrete steps to address the waste dumps dotting all nooks of the country speaks volumes about the general fixation with knee-jerk reactions. It is high time some time was invested to carve out a blueprint that catered to long-term sustainability. As always, consistency should be the buzzword that actually matters. *