Rabies again out of control

KARACHI: The number of rabies deaths in Sindh has reached seven. Three passed away at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and two died at the Indus Hospital Karachi while the other two died at their homes.

According to details the first victim of this year; on 2nd January 2020 a 19 years old, Shahid Iqbal died in JPMC who was sent from Shikarpur for treatment. A 35-year-old woman, Shahina Bibi, resident of Thatta, a 40-year-old man from Umerkot with serious facial injuries inflicted by a rabid dog while two teenage 6-year-old Hasnain, who had been mauled by stray dogs in Larkana passed away at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) Karachi for over a month. Zeeshan is the second unfortunate boy from Larkana who died in recent months due to rabies.

The most recent case of dog bite reported from Shewan another 6 years old Amjad who was attacked last day in Sehwan and was taken to the Govt Hospital Saeed Abad Sehwan but there was no vaccine available in facility.

According to details in every part of Sindh, Dog-bites cases are being reported rapidly but Sindh Government is only busy with Coronavirus.

Earlier a journalist questioned to CM Sindh why Sindh Government is not doing strict action against street-dogs as dog-bites cases are increasing day by day so Chief Minister replied the Dogs are biting in other provinces as well.

Dr Seemi Jamali, JPMC’s Executive Director told that we have received 3800 Rabies cases all over Sindh since January 2020, adding that three patients have died all of them brought from interior Sindh.

To a question, Jamli explained that hospital has immune globulin and being given to patients as per requirements.

Asked about the rise in dog-bite and rabies cases, Dr Jamali said there was definitely a surge in these cases as the hospital’s data showed that rabies cases had jumped from 8,000 in 2018 to 10,850 in 2019 and now only in four months we have 3800 patients.

Aftab Gohar, the incharge of the dog-bite centre at the Indus Hospital Karachi shared his views while talking to Daily Times that they have so far received 3,000 victims of dog bite from the entire Sindh.

“After given AVR to the patient, immunoglobulin must be given immediately, which contains antibodies that fight the rabies virus transmitted to the body of the person through the saliva of the rabid dog.

He explained that all these patients have to complete 3-4 visits for their subsequent doses of anti-rabies vaccine.

Dr Gohar said that we are helpless for a person if one has developed full-blown rabies adding that full-blown rabies is a 100 percent lethal disease. He asked people they ought to get administered a person who was bitten by a stray dog with ARV and immunoglobulin. With the timely administration of vaccine, rabies could effectively be treated.

He also highlights the fact that the government has yet to take effective action against the rising number of stray dogs in the province.

PTI Sindh Assembly lawmakers demand audit of the Rs2.5 billion amount given to hospitals should be carried out in an impartial way for the same they have submitted requisition for an urgent session.