MURREE: The 15 health centres in Murree town catering to about 300,000 people are without anti-rabies vaccine even though hordes of pigs, stray dogs and other wild animals are found roaming in the area.

It has been learnt that the anti-rabies vaccine is available only at the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital Murree.

The Murree town spreads from Abbasian near Kohala to 17 Mile near Islamabad and from Barriyaan to Bann and the whole area is covered with forests and wild animals.

Shakil Abbasi of Phagwarri village said a rural health centre was set up to cater to 10,000 population but such a basic vaccine had not been provided to these health centres.

He said in case of a dog bite incident it takes hours to take the patient to the THQ hospital.

Ashiq Abbasi of Darya Gali said most villages were located in difficult terrains and it was hard to take a patient to the THQ hospital. A few days ago, eight people were bitten by stray dogs in a single day while a tiger attacked a man in Kaseri and injured him.

An official of the district health department told this correspondent that anti-rabies vaccines were provided by the government only to THQ hospitals. He said other basic medicines and vaccines were available in the BHUs.

THQ Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Faiza Kanwal said anti-rabies vaccines for about 200 patients were provided to the hospital. He said when eight dog bite patients were brought to the hospital they were provided the vaccines. She said she had written to the town administration for the eradication of wild animals.

When contacted, Assistant Commissioner Imtiaz Khan Khichi said he had launched a campaign against stray dogs. About wild boars and other animals, he said legally he or his department cannot take action against such wildlife. For the eradication of wild boars, special permission is required from the Punjab government. But every effort will be made for the safety of citizens, he added.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2018