VEHARI, June 24: All state-run hospitals in the district, including DHQ hospitals, RHCs and BHUs, have been without anti-rabies vaccine for the last one year. Reports say more than six people have lost their lives in different parts of the district during the last one week for lack of vaccine.

The situation is even worse in rural areas where men and women working in fields are more vulnerable to attacks of stray dogs. Areas like Muslim Town, College Town, People’s Colony, Mailsi, Luddan, Masani Bagh, Pirmurad and Machiwal have almost become no-go areas after the evening. TMAs’ authorities have stopped the practice of killing stray dogs.

Some attendants belonging to Garah Morr area told newsmen that vaccine was not available at the DHQ Hospital.

They claimed that they had visited about six RHCs and BHCs in various rural areas, but could find no vaccine.

A DHQ Hospital doctor said that at least 400 to 500 vials were needed in a month as the hospital received dozens of dog bite cases weekly. He said that patients were asked to return after a week and watched if the dogs became rabid in the meantime.

He said the well-off patients purchased the vaccine from medical stores between Rs3,000 and Rs3,500 per course while the poor usually tried to cure through ‘spiritual healers’.

DHQ Hospital MS Dr Nasir Dilshad said that the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, had informed him that the vaccine would reach Vehari during the next few days.