Life-saving rabies vaccine (Rabies VC Human) is not available in government hospitals and private pharmacies in Bogra's district and upazila. Every day, people of different ages in different areas of Bogra district and upazila come to government hospitals with bites from wild animals including dogs, cats, rats and foxes, but they are returning disappointed as there is no vaccine.
Many people go to buy from outside pharmacies but return empty-handed as there is no supply in pharmacies. This has caused extreme panic among people. Victims have demanded to ensure rapid vaccine supply.
Talking to doctors, it is known that people panic just hearing the name rabies. Because rabies is a fatal disease. If the vaccine is not taken as per the prescribed time after being bitten by a rabid animal, death is inevitable. The only safe way for the victim to get vaccinated is to get vaccinated.
The victims said that when the doctors take the victims of dog, cat or wild animal attacks to get treatment, they write down the names of vaccines from different pharmaceutical companies, mentioning the date. They are advising the victims to buy vaccines from pharmacies. The patients and their relatives are running to different places to get vaccines to save their lives. But the vaccine is not available in any pharmacy in the district or upazila.
According to the district health department sources, the number of patients attacked by dogs and cats has increased recently. Due to this, the demand for rabies vaccine has also increased a lot.
According to the sources, rabies vaccine has not been available anywhere in the district since the second week of December due to the supply being stopped from the health department. Although the new vaccine was supposed to arrive within the stipulated time, it is not actually arriving, resulting in the rush of patients increasing every day.
Nazmul Hossain, marketing officer of Incepta Pharmaceuticals, said that we are unable to supply it due to lack of supply in the depot. Also, Popular Pharmaceuticals' Marketing Officer Md. Tarek Hossain said, "We have not been able to supply the vaccine to the drug stores for about a month due to the lack of supply."
Md. Zafrul Sadik of Nandiar Para village of Karnibari union of Sariakandi upazila of Bogra district said, "I was bitten by a cat. When I went to the hospital, they asked me to give 5 vaccines. I gave the first and second doses, then I did not get any more vaccines for the third dose. Since it was not available in Sariakandi, I could not find it anywhere in Bogra district headquarters, so I could not get any more vaccines."
Dr. Rashedul Islam, resident physician at Bogra Mohammad Ali Hospital, said, "The rabies vaccine is currently not available in the hospital. We have sent a demand and will give it to patients as soon as it is supplied here."
Dr. Md. Khurshid Alam, Civil Surgeon of Bogra District, said, "The vaccine that was previously supplied to hospitals is now stopped. We have contacted the Department of Health." The request for self-help complexes in each upazila has been sent to the Directorate General of Health Services. Hopefully, the crisis will end soon.
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