RAWALPINDI, June 25: The city’s main hospitals are short of anti-snake venom and anti-rabies vaccine, hospital sources said here on Tuesday.

The shortage of anti-snake venom at this time is significant because the number of snake bite cases increase during the monsoon season with most being reported from the rural areas located on the periphery of the city.

Snake bite cases are treated with anti-snake venom, which is administered only after the venom enters the victim’s bloodstream.

The situation is further made worse when the patients from Cantonment hospital are referred to the teaching hospitals, a hospital source said.

District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) medical superintendent, Dr Zubair Hassan said order had been placed with the National Institute of Health (NIH) for the supply of vaccine.

The doctors said each snake bite patient is given 4 to 10 vials depending on the severity of the condition.

Besides, there are reports of shortage of anti-rabies vaccine, produced by NIH. Public hospitals do not keep supplies of vaccines such as Human Deploid Cell Vaccine (HDCV) and amino- globulin for treatment of dog bite cases.