GUJRAT: The ratio of dog attacks alarmingly increased during the last few months, particularly in Gujrat city, and adjoining rural localities.

The citizens have been expressing concerns at these incidents and an alarming increase in the number of stray dogs, and slow response of the civic agencies to the issue that resurfaced with the death of two-year-old boy Qasim who died in a stray dogs attack near the Gujrat Railway Station a couple of days ago.

According to the official data of the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital (ABSTH), at least 1,100 people got treatment for dog bites treatment as well as vaccination for rabies until October 19 this year. A source pointed out an alarming increase in the rabies patients had since January this year as compared to 2023.

For instance, he said, in November and December 2023, the number of such patients at the ABSTH was 54 and 71, respectively but in January 2024 the number reached 86 followed by 100 in February that had reached to 147 in May whereas in August the last the number of patients again reached 147 and it was 109 in September. He added that the ratio in the rural areas was also not different from the urban localities.

ABSTH Medical Superintendent Dr Ayaz Nasir said that despite an increase in the ratio of dog bite cases, the hospital had provided rabies vaccination to each patient as it had enough stock of the vaccine.

On the other hand, Gujrat Municipal Corporation chief officer Khaliq Daad Gara constituted four teams for eliminating the stray dogs in the city.

The Gujrat district administration said that 1,363 stray dogs had been eliminated during the last four months in the city and strict measures were being taken to resolve the issue on a permanent basis.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2024