Over 21,800 sought anti rabies treatment last year

Over twenty-one thousand eight-hundred people sought treatment against rabies at the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital during the past year.

Director of the Hospital, Dr Asela Gunawardena, told the Sunday Times that around 21,820 persons had been given the anti rabies vaccine following animal attacks, such as dog bites, and scratches by cats during 2019.

He clarified the number of anti rabies injections administered to patients differed according to the place of the injury, the bite and the condition of the wound.

Dr Gunawardena pointed out some patients were administered a series of six injections, for which government spent over Rs 4,000/-.

He added that doctors had to use immunoglobuilin injections on a patient, if an animal which attacked the victim died following the attack. He added immunoglobuilin vaccines were much more expansive than the anti rabies vaccines.

Explaining further Dr Gunawardena said there are two varieties of anti rabies vaccines. He said government spends around Rs 18,000/on providing Equine Immunoglobulin vaccine (ERIG) per patient who show allergic reactions to the vaccine.

Elaborating, he said when patients show signs of allergic reactions to the ERIG they are given human immunoglobulin vaccine.

Dr Gunawardena stressed that rabies often proves fatal. He warned that anyone bitten by an infected animal, should seek medical treatment as soon as possible.