Dog-bite victims queue up for treatment

KARIMNAGAR: There has been no outbreak of rabies in Karimnagar district so far, but the deaths reported in the Godavari districts have served to bring the focus on the proliferation of stray dogs and monkeys in the villages here. Moreover, district health authorities have been alerted to monitor the inventory of ARV in primary health centers (PHCs), dispensaries and civil hospitals. Due to the rabies scare, hospitals are reporting the rush of dog-bite victims where they might have ignored treatment earlier. At the Karimangar Civil Hospital on Friday, dog- and monkey-bite victims queued up at the vaccination room.According to DHMO Dr. Vishn Mohan, about 1500 vials of  the ARV have been kept ready at various health centres. However, some PHCs in Kamalapur, Dharamaram and Bejjanki mandals had no stocks of ARV. Officials said the vaccine would be rushed to any PHC if need be. Concurrently, the local municipality has been spurred to take up sterilization of stray dogs.