HC directs for availability of rabies vaccine in Jammu hospitals

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 5:  Observing that it is quite shocking that there is no anti-rabies vaccine and Human Rabies Immunoglobulin injection available in Hospital and Primary Health Centers in Jammu Province, the High Court today directed the deficiency be rectified immediately.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey after perusal of the affidavit of Health and Medical Education Department said the position of Jammu Province is quite shocking because most of the institution do not have stock of these vaccines and injections.
Court accordingly directed the authorities to rectify the same instantaneously. DB in this connection directed the Director Health Services Jammu to immediately take action and file the report before the court.
The affidavit of H&ME department also provided consolidated report about anti-rabies vaccines and Human Rabies Immunoglobulin injections except Leh and Kargil.
On going through the consolidated report, Court found that certain hospitals don’t have vaccine/injection whereas some others have surplus.
“Sub Divisional Hospital Bijbehara have no anti-Rabies vacancies as on 27-2-2018. Similarly block Larnoo there are no anti-rabies and same is case with district hospital Qazigund and other hospitals and dispensaries”, said the affidavit of H&ME department.
Court after this situation said, it is evident that the management of anti-rabies vaccines is not done properly. Court also added that it will be never the case that any hospital or dispensary does not have anti-rabies injection. Court also directed the Health and Medical Education department to file fresh affidavit with regard to the action taken on these points.
Court said, that in fact each CMO should be in a position about use and stock of anti-rabies vaccine and if necessary, court added, CMO can divert the stock from hospitals where it is present in bulk.
Court directed both the Directors of Health Services Kashmir and Jammu divisions to ensure that inventory management of anti-rabies vaccines and Human Rabies immunoglobulin so that they cannot in any point run low.
“This is not a complicated exercise. All the hospital should provide weekly updates of their inventories so that the directors are informed about requirements so that supplies can be sent immediately.
In this connection, Court directed the J&K Medical Supplies Corporation (JKMPCL) to make anti-rabies vaccines available in the hospitals.
Counsel appearing for H&ME department has taken the bench through the affidavit filed by Commissioner Secretary Health dated 28-2-2018. As required, the affidavit for the purposes of indicating the availabilities of anti-rabies injection and human Rabies immunoglobulin injection throughout the State. However, as per said affidavit, court said, details about Leh and Kargil have not been provided.
With regard to dog birth control, Court has been informed that at present there is one centre at Shuhama and the objective of the said centre is to control birth rate of dogs. Court said this is not sufficient to control the birth rate as such, as per the SMC statement another centre is to be set up at Tengpora.
Court said, once the center at Tangpora is established, the same would be able to sterilize 80 dogs per day, thus bringing the total sterilizations to 90 with the 10 sterilization at Shuhama center per day.
The third aspect regard action plan that focus essentially curtailing energy rich garbage available to stray dogs and setting anti-birth control and anti-rabies control.
It has been noted in the report of SMC that Srinagar produces about 400 metric garbage per day on an average. Out of it, about 20000 kg is contributed by poultry energy rich waste.