The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Karachi chapter on Sunday expressing concern over rabid dog bite incident in Korangi in which 10 persons were injured, feared number of such incidents might rise in future, as the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has miserably failed to check alarmingly growing population of stray dogs in Karachi.
PMA Karachi Secretary General Dr Qaiser Sajjad talking to PPI said the city government had failed to take proper steps to contain growth of stray dogs in Karachi. He said that hordes of stray dogs could be seen on roads and streets in the city, especially in Katchi Abadies and slums. He added that before the Korangi incident, some one dozen personas bitten by same rabid dog were rushed to the JPMC last week.
Dr Sajjad said very few rabid dog bite cases were being reported to press and added that presently 30 to 40 dog bite cases were being reported to major hospitals of Karachi every day. He said a large number of dog bite cases were being referred to small private clinics, locality-based health providers and quakes, while many poor people treat such cases in homes, as they could not afford transportation and medical expenses of affected persons.
He recalled that in 1960s the then administration had completely ended stray dogs from Karachi. He said that the present city government had to take serious steps against stray dogs, if it really wanted save lives of its citizens. He warned that rabies is a very serious and lethal disease adding if left untreated it would lead to certain death, as there is no cure to rabies.
Dr Sajjad said mostly children fall prey to dog bite. He said stray dogs often bite schoolchildren on their way to school and home or playground. He added that presently Eid shoppers returning home after shopping in night are also facing menace of stray dogs.
He said that without a very aggressive campaign by city government against stray dogs these cases would certainly go on rise. He regretted that only three state-run hospitals of Karachi, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) and Abbassi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) had facility of anti-rabies vaccine. He, however, pointed out that these hospitals also do not provide round-o-clock anti-rabies vaccine services, but it is provided only in some morning hours.
He demanded that all state-run hospitals and dispensaries in the city should have this facility, free of cost. He said presently old 'sheep vaccine' is being provided to patients, while in developed world latest tissue or cell vaccine is used for this purpose which is less painful and more effective. He said that presently anti-rabies vaccine is being imported in Pakistan.
He demanded of the federal health ministry to take steps so that this vaccine could be locally produced, so that its cost could be brought down. He said many people avoid treatment of dog bite cases in hospitals due to high cost of vaccine in open market.
The PMA general secretary advised general public to be aware of stray dogs in their areas. He said that parents should take special care to avoid exposure of their children to stray dogs, especially rabid ones.
He said that in case of unusual high number of stray dogs in their localities the citizens should contact to their councillors or higher city government authorities. He said that citizens could get rid of rabid dogs on self-help basis at community level. Dr Sajjad reminded the city government that to deal with this problem is their responsibility, so extensive anti-stray dog drives should be launched on emergency basis, at city, town and union council level, and Karachi be made a stray-dog free city on the lines of 1960s experience.
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