Hospitals in Bardiya sans rabies vaccines

BY SIRAJ KHAN,Nepalgunj, Dec. 27: A shortage of rabies vaccines in various health institutions in Bardiya district has caused significant difficulties for patients who have been bitten 

by dogs. 

Hospitals such as Bardiya Hospital, Barbardiya Municipal Hospital, Basgadi Municipal Hospital and Rajapur Primary Health Centre have been lacking rabies vaccines since the Lumbini Province Health Logistic Management Centre stopped receiving them. 

Dr. Subhash Pandey, chief of Bardiya Hospital in Gulariya, said that although the number of people seeking the rabies vaccine had increased, the problem persists since the requested vaccines had not arrived. 

He said that the vaccine ran out a month and a half ago and has not been restocked. 

He added that health institutions did not have the authority to purchase the vaccines themselves and urged relevant authorities to address the issue, which has been ongoing for the past seven or eight years. 

He also pointed out that while five doses of the available vaccines are required, the government-provided vaccine only offers three doses.

Govinda Paudel, head of the Health Branch at Barbardiya Municipality, said that Barbardiya Municipality Hospital had been out of vaccines for a month due to the shortage at the Lumbini Province Health Logistic Management Centre. 

Mahesh Tharu, head of the Health Branch at Basgadi Municipality, said that although it had been over a month since the hospitals ran out of rabies vaccines, many dog-bite victims were forced to turn away as the vaccines have not arrived. 

He also stated that they had requested vaccines from the province.

Similarly, Suresh Chaulagai, information officer at Rajapur Primary Health Centre, said that the rabies vaccines ran out two months ago causing significant difficulty in treating dog-bite victims. 

In Thakurbaba Municipality, the health branch chief, Vishnu Gyawali, stated that the vaccines sent by the Lumbini Province Health Logistic Management Centre ran out of stock two months ago. 

However, the local government in Thakurbaba had purchased 200 vials of the vaccine to ensure there was no shortage.