KARACHI: More than 18,000 dog bite cases were reported in Karachi in 2018, yet the Sindh Health Department has failed to establish vaccination centres in district health facilities.
The dog bite cases have been reported in Rabies Centre of Civil Hospital Karachi and Anti-Rabies Clinic of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC). The Sindh largest tertiary hospital, known as Civil Hospital Karachi, has recorded 10,288 rabies cases which were vaccinated, while 7,697 such cases were also vaccinated at JPMC previous year.
The rabies is a preventable disease transmitted to humans through the bite of infected animals. However, in Pakistan, 99 per cent cases are caused by dog bites.
The majority of dog bite cases were reported from slums areas of Ibrahim Hyderi, Surjani, North Karachi, New Karachi, Baldia, Orangi, Keamari, Mehmoodabad, Liaquatabad, Federal B Area and Golimar. The children and elderly people generally become victims of dog bites.
The Sindh Health Department and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) have failed to launch a comprehensive campaign against stray dogs.
The Sindh government plan to introduce anti-rabies vaccine in five hospitals of Karachi, including Sindh Government Hospital Korangi, Sindh Government Hospital New Karachi, Sindh Government Hospital Ibrahim Haideri, Rural Health Center Gadap and Rural Health Center Malir, have still not materialised.
Presently, free of cost anti-rabies vaccination is available at three major health facilities of Karachi city, including Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Civil Hospital Karachi and The Indus Hospital (TIH).