The absence of anti-rabies serum in Doon hospital is causing problems to the animal bite victims. These patients have to shell out extra money as they are forced to purchase the serum from outside.
In cases of animal bite the doctors advice anti rabies vaccine which is administered intra dermal or intra muscular four times in a fixed schedule after the case of animal bite. Similarly as an extra precaution serum is also injected on the wound. The serum is more helpful in treating cases of stray dog bite and it is injected into the wound within ten days of the animal bite.
In Doon hospital the vaccines are in adequate supply but the serum is not available from last nine months. It is learnt that the hospital administration is not inclined to order serum as it is costly. The Chief Pharmacist of Doon hospital K C Kukreti accepted that the serum is out of stock but added that vaccine of anti rabies is available. He informed that 760 cases of animal bite cases were reported in the hospital in month of June this year out of which more than 90 percent are from dogs.
The Principal Medical Superintendent (PMS) of Doon hospital, Dr R S Aswal said that budget constraints is affecting the serum supplies but added that local purchase is being done in cases where it is needed.
The lack of serum is creating trouble to the patients of dog bite cases as they have to pay Rs 1500 to the private centres for every dose of serum.