the goan I network
MARGAO
The next time you come across a stray dog on the prowl, ensure that you walk a safe distance from the canine. For, a dog bite may land you in serious trouble, with anti-rabies vaccines out of stock across the Urban and Primary health centres, so much so beleaguered patients have been left with no option than to share the cost of vials procured from private pharmacies.
Indeed, it’s now around 10 days the Margao Urban Health Centre and other primary health centres in the rural areas of the State have run out of stock of the anti-rabies vaccines. And, inquires by these health centres with the Directorate of Health Services have only received the same reply that the vaccine is out of stock.
Government hospitals such as Hospicio administer a dose of the anti-rabies vaccine only on Saturdays and Sundays and during night emergencies. Resultantly, dog-bite patients have been put in a piquant situation as an anti-rabies vaccine vial cost around Rs 350 across the counter in private pharmacies.
To tide over the situation, the Margao Urban Health Centre has tried with a novel idea to lessen the financial burden of the patients and mitigate their hardships. With an anti-rabies vial containing five doses, the UHC advises 4-5 patients to share the cost of the vaccine procured from the private pharmacies.
Margao Urban Health Officer, Dr Anju Kharangate said the centre puts in maximum efforts to procure the anti-rabies, but in vain as the vaccine is now out of stock with the Directorate of Health Services. “Since we have identified 1-2 pharmacies in the city which has stocked the vaccine, we advise the patients to get together and contribute towards the vaccine costing around Rs 350. In this way, we try to mitigate the patients’ hardships,” Dr Kharangate said.
With no dearth of dog-bite patients coming to the Margao Urban Health Centre from the city and Salcete’s countryside, Dr Kharangate says the doctors and staff put in maximum effort that the patients get the anti-rabies dose. The problem is further compounded for the Margao UHC with the Primary health centres across Salcete, besides Hospicio hospital referring the dog-bite patients to the Urban health centre for the vaccine.
Dr Kharangate informed that the Margao UHC receives around 7-8 dog-bite patients on an average a day and the number sometimes even goes to 20 cases a day on certain days.
Tempers ran high on Friday when a citizen from Navelim, Remy Colaco came with his daughter for a second round of dose, only to be told that the vaccine is in short supply. “I along with my daughter had come here on August 16. The second round of dose was scheduled on August 19, but there was no vaccine. I tried my best to lay my hands on the vaccine from a private pharmacy, but by the time I came back with a vial, it was warm. Hospicio says the hospital provides the dose only on Saturdays and Sundays and during night time,” he said.
Demanding intervention of the Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, Colaco said that rabies is a serious problem and the government cannot take chances on the health and lives of the patients.
A dog-bite patient, Hasina echoed similar sentiments. “I had received the first dose free of cost, but when I came back for the second dose, they told me to buy the vaccine. When we went to nearby Hospicio, they point blank told us they have no stock of the anti-rabies vaccine,” she added.
A resident of Raia, Berta, who had visited the Margao UHC on Friday for her last dose, was told by the Health officials that the vaccine was out of stock. “Rabies is a serious and fatal disease and the government should not treat the issue lightly. Just imagine the fate of the poor who cannot afford to buy the expensive vaccines from private medical stores,” Berta wondered.
