Patients suffer as anti-rabies vaccine out of stock in J&K hospitals
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, June 13: While cases of dog bites have increased to a large extent in last few months in Jammu, anti-rabies vaccines are out of stock in all Government Health Institutions throughout J&K including Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu due to which the poor patients are suffering most.
According to official sources, neither Government Medical College Jammu nor Directorate of Health Jammu has received supply of anti-rabies vaccine and serum from the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) in last over 3 months.
“Though, Directorate of Health had some stock of anti-rabies serum but it is also running short of vaccines,” they said, adding for last over three months, GMC authorities were borrowing the vaccine and serum from Government Hospitals Sarwal and Gandhi Nagar or from Directorate of Health but now vaccine is out of stock in all health institutions including Government Hospitals Gandhi Nagar and Sarwal, leaving the GMC authorities high and dry as highest cases of dog bite are reported in the Medical College.
Sources said daily 15-20 cases of dog bite have been reported in GMC Jammu but as anti-rabies vaccine and serum are out of stock in the Institution, poor patients are forced to purchase them from exorbitant rates. They further told that even in open market, there are very few retail outlets or clinics which have these vaccines and serum.
Medical Superintendent, GMC Jammu, Dr Dara Singh said that they have submitted their requirement for anti-rabies vaccine and serum three months in advance with J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited but they have not received the stock yet. “For last about three-four months we were managing either by purchasing from open market or borrowing from other Government Health institutions but now all has raised their hands, particularly with regard to anti-rabies vaccines which is not even easily available in open market,” he added.
Dr Singh said while there is also shortage of anti-rabies serum but it is available with some health institutions and we are borrowing the same from them but as far as vaccine is concern, it is out of stock in all health institutions. “We have enough funds for local purchase of essential drugs to run emergency services but we are not getting these vaccines in the market,” he said the issue has been discussed at highest level and we are hoping for some solution in coming days.
Director Health Services, Jammu, Dr Sameer Mattoo said that that there is severe shortage of this vaccine in open market and JKMSCL has also failed to supply the vaccine. He said some private drug sellers are purchasing it from Pathankot and Chandigarh but in very small quantity as it is not easily available.
Shiv Kumar Gupta, Managing Director, JKMSCL, said that the shortage of anti-rabies vaccine and serum is throughout the country. He said only a couple of companies manufacture this vaccine but due to steep rise in their liability they have reduced their production due to which this peculiar situation has arisen.
“We invited tenders thrice for procuring anti-rabies vaccine and serum but even a single company did not come forward as due to shortage of vaccine and serum in the market no company want to take risk because they know that if they failed to supply the stock timely, they will be blacklisted for ever throughout the country”, he added.
Lotika Khajuria, Drug Controller, J&K, also said that the entire country is facing shortage of anti-rabies vaccine as in last few months the production of the vaccine had fallen due to some unknown reasons but she said that within one month, the supply will improve as the production has been enhanced by the concerned companies again.
“Seeing the gravity of the situation, we also took up the matter with National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) which has also assured that shortage will be overcome within one month,” she said, adding “We have already started providing some stock both in Jammu and in Kashmir. 50 vials of vaccine have been provided in Kashmir and within a day or two, the same quantity will be provided in Jammu”.
Follow our WhatsApp channel