As the locals bitten by dogs infected with rabies virus desperately seek treatment, the District Public Health Office (DPHO) of Achham lacks anti-rabies vaccine to treat the patients.
Dr Ram Bahadur KC, chief of Acchham DPHO, said they do not have a single dose of rabies vaccine at the moment. He says they have ordered around 350 doses of anti-rabies vaccine from Regional Medical Center, Dhangadhi. [break]
"We will begin vaccinating people in the rabies-affected villages of Achham as soon as we get vaccines from Dhangadhi," said KC. "We are hoping to receive the delivery no later than this weekend."
According to KC, over a dozen domestic cattle have died of rabies in the last few weeks in Bannatoli, Santada, Sutar, Batulasain and Chaphamandau VDCs of Achham district. Over 20 people have so far been infected with the virus after being bitten by dogs.
In Bannatoli VDC, a 23-year-old man, identified as Bharat Shahi, has died of rabies. He was infected with rabies after being bitten by a dog that spread the virus in Bannatoli and other surrounding VDCs. The dog that was infected with rabies after devouring the carcass of a dead buffalo had bitten several people in Bannatoli nearly one month ago. Although others were vaccinated after being bitten by the dog, Shahi did not seek treatment.
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