The stock of anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) in the associated hospital of the Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) has exhausted again. On Friday a curt notice, ‘ARV is not available,’ was placed outside the injection room of the hospital where these vaccines are administered. In the absence of the vaccine, the animal bite victims are facing problems.
The vanishing act of the vaccine is triggered by the stinginess of the State health directorate in providing these vaccines to the hospital. It is learnt that the health directorate is providing these vaccines to the hospital in minuscule quantities for the last four months.
The chief pharmacist of the hospital, K C Kukreti said that 50 vials of the vaccine were provided by the directorate on June 15. This stock got exhausted within two days. He said that the hospital administration is informed about the shortage. More than 120 patients visit the hospital per day for the vaccine needed for animal bite cases.
The problem of the staff is compounded by the absence of insulin syringes as well. With the help of these syringes four doses of vaccine can be administered from one Vial of ARV.
In absence of insulin syringes only three doses are being made. The ARV is administered intra dermal or intra muscular four times in a fixed schedule on an animal bite victim. The vaccine is injected on 0, 3, 7 and 28 day of the animal bite. The vaccine is injected free of cost in the government hospitals where there is facility of cold storage.
The Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital, Dr K K Tamta said that the health directorate is providing medicines and injections to the hospital in much less amounts than required. He added that the ARVs would be soon be procured.
The health directorate refused supplying medicines, IV fluids and injections to the biggest hospital of the state ever since it was transferred to the Government Doon Medical College. The college is yet to complete formalities required for its own tenders of medicines and injections.
The health directorate started providing medicines to the hospital after the order of the State Government that it should continue supplying medicines, IV fluids and injections till it start getting them from its own system. However the supply is erratic and too small to meet the requirement of the biggest hospital of the State.