DogExpress
Recently in Whitefield, Bengaluru – two children got bit by a rabid stray dog and were rushed to 3 different hospitals in hope to find special rabies vaccine.
2 Kids Bitten By Rabid Stray Dog
A 3-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl, children of BBMP workers, were the victims of a dog bite case on Tuesday night. The children were rushed to hospital by a volunteer to be given anti-rabies vaccine. However, when they reach the hospital, the staff told the volunteer that the kids would also need rabies immunoglobulin vaccine to prevent infection. And it wasn’t available in the hospital!
“Doctors referred us to the Isolation Hospital in Indiranagar. But doctors there said they had no stock of the immunoglobulin and referred us to Victoria Hospital. After going from one part of the city to another, it was frustrating that neither hospital had such a crucial vaccine,” the volunteer added.
What did the doctor say?
Dr Ansar Ahmed, medical superintendent, Isolation Hospital, said, “We don’t keep the rabies immunoglobulin vaccine because we hardly get such cases and the medicine has a very short expiry time. We immediately rush patients to Victoria Hospital in our ambulance.”
Vaccine only available at Victoria Hospital
After reaching Victoria Hospital, the kids got the special vaccine that they required to fight off the infection.
“Since 11 a.m. on Wednesday, these children had a harrowing experience. We were very scared of leaving the wound sore for so long,” the volunteer added.
Animal Birth Control Programme – A failure in Bengaluru
The cases of dog bites have been rising continually in Bengaluru. Should children pay for the irregularities of BBMP?
The stray dog issue is on the rise because BBMP has discontinued its sterilization and vaccination programme on stray animals, as per a resident in Whitefield.
“The rabid dog died on Wednesday and the two children are under observation for 14 days. The problem lies with irregularities in the BBMP’s Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme,” said Bismi Anil, founder, Duma’s Animal Welfare Trust.
BBMP Reply
“BBMP will reimburse the cost of treatment of both children and also give an additional compensation to their families,” said Dr Sri Ram, deputy director, animal husbandry department, BBMP.
Source: Times Of India
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in Chandigarh, India. 
