LAHORE: Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has said there is a shortage of anti-rabies vaccine world over and the Punjab government has made all-out efforts to address this issue in state-run health facilities across the province.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, she said the primary & secondary healthcare department had purchased anti-rabies vaccine in February to on facing shortage in Punjab.

The health department had been directed to make the vaccine available in case of any emergency requirement, she said, adding that the vaccine required a particular temperature for storage, she said.

Ms Rashid further said the government was going to launch a special campaign to kill stray dogs in Punjab to be monitored by district health authorities chief executive officers.

During a recent surprise visit to the Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had expressed his utter displeasure when he was told that the anti-rabies vaccine and some other medicines were not available in hospital’s emergency ward.

The special branch of the Punjab police had taken up the issue by reporting that four teaching hospitals of the provincial capital were among more than 1,800 other health facilities which had no anti-rabies vaccine.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2019