MITHI, Oct 22: The Nazim District, Tharparkar, Arbab Attaullah demanded of the governor Sindh, minister, and secretary health on Monday to take serious notice of the shortage of anti-snake bite vaccine at the hospitals of Thar.

As a result of the shortage of the vaccine, people who have been bitten by the snakes are finding it extremely difficult in getting proper treatment. Quite a good number of such patients die every year.

Mr Arbab said that he was going to ask the authorities concerned to take prompt measures to ensure an adequate supply of the vaccine.

Meanwhile, the EDO, Health, Dr Nawaz Ali Kalar, informed the journalists that in comparison to previous years, the percentage of patients bitten by snakes in Thar this year had remained alarmingly high as 1,689 cases were reported at various hospitals of the district from Jan 1 to Sept 30 and 13 of them had died.

He further said that the government had supplied only 857 vials of anti-snake-bite vaccine during the same period.

He said because of the shortage of the vaccine, many patients were referred to the hospitals of other districts.