KARACHI: A six-year-old boy, who was brutally bitten by half-a-dozen rabid dogs in Larkana, was on Friday admitted to the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) as doctors said it required time and detailed medical care to rehabilitate the youngster.

“The child is in the intensive care unit. He is identified as Hasnain and is currently being given blood and FFP [Fresh Frozen Plasma] and being stabilised hemodynamically,” said NICH director Dr Jamal Raza.

He said the child was admitted to the NICH in the morning and surgeons were being involved in the case. “However, major decisions would be taken when the child is stable. He has been bitten by five or six dogs. We have formed a panel of four doctors who are examining the boy.”

He said the child was administered with basic vaccines.

Govt has failed to build a good hospital in Larkana, says opposition leader

Dr Seemin Jamali, the executive director of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, said the hospital was sending a doctor, who specialises in surgery of the face, mouth, and jaws.

“We are sending a maxillofacial surgeon from the JPMC to assist the NICH doctors to save the child,” she said.

‘13,000 vials of anti-rabies vaccine available’

Sindh Health Minister Azra Pechuho visited the hospital and inquired after the child.

She told reporters that the child was shifted to the NICH since the required maxillofacial surgery was not possible at the Chandka Hospital in Larkana. “The child is being examined and has undergone first of a series of surgeries. He is being given the required antibiotics.”

She said the health department was taking measures to neuter dogs through vaccination as per the request by animal rights groups.

She said the government would bear all expenses on the treatment of the victim.

She expressed her anguish that doctors, specialists in particular, generally showed reservation in working in Larkana and other districts of Sindh, which was the key reason that the people living there had to travel to Karachi.

Dr Pechuho said there were 13,000 vials of anti-rabies vaccine in stock at the government-run hospitals.

The NICH director requested families to get dog-bite patients duly vaccinated to avoid rabies.

Opposition slams Sindh govt

Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi visited the NICH and inquired after the child.

He criticised the provincial government for its “utter failure” in protecting people from rabid dogs.

“They have completely failed in providing relief to the people of Sindh. The government of the Pakistan Peoples Party has benefited by the name of Bhutto, yet it has failed to build a good hospital in Larkana,” he said.

Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda also talked to the media at the hospital and said the federal government would not leave the people of Sindh in the lurch if the provincial government “is not willing to serve them”.

He requested the Sindh chief minister to resolve such basic issues on a priority basis.

The federal minister supported the anti-dog drive, but Opposition Leader Naqvi of his own Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party said the dog population could be controlled by neutering the beasts.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2019