KARACHI: Concern voiced over raise in rabies vaccine price
By Azizullah Sharif
KARACHI, May 23: The Rabies in Asia (Pakistan chapter) has voiced concern over increase in prices of rabies tissue culture vaccines and poor control of stray dogs which are mainly responsible for rabies.
They pointed out that two, out of three multinationals, have stopped manufacturing vaccine and the only multinational has increased prices to an unaffordable level. The RIA stressed the need for importing quality vaccines from abroad.
At its first meeting, attended by a group of physicians, epidemiologists, pathologists, veterinarians and civic minded persons, the Rabies in Asia (Pakistan chapter) agreed to address these and other related issues at both the federal and city district government levels.
The RIA (Pakistan Chapter) pointed out that most of the countries in South East Asia are importing quality vaccines from India where at least four pharmaceuticals firms are manufacturing WHO-approved rabies tissue culture vaccine at a low cost. It urged the ministry of health to consider this in public interest.
Discussing the issue of rabies, the core group opined that there are multifaceted issues in the country and these include lack of awareness of the disease among both patients and doctors, use of obsolete vaccines, insufficient and expensive modern tissue culture vaccines, lack of diagnostic facilities, absence of accurate data, besides the poor control of stray dogs.
The meeting also elected office-bearers of the RIA (Pakistan Chapter) and they include Dr Naseem Salahuddin of Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi as president; Dr Shahab Kazi of NIH, Islamabad as vice president and Dr Seemin Jamali of JPMC as general secretary.
Having sanction of the WHO, the RIA is a registered organisation based in Bangalore and its purpose it to eliminate rabies in Asia.
