The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Human immunoglobulin scarcity hits dispensaries

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 01, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Human immunoglobulin scarcity hits dispensaries

Sandhya Soman

Dog attacks on Marina beach sound a warning While Government outlets are yet to stock immunoglobulin vials, private dealers provide limited supply

CHENNAI: Kirthana, Harish Raj and Vignesh were playing on the Marina beach on May 21 evening. By 9 p.m., all three were rushed to the CSI Kalyani Hospital on Radhakrishnan Salai to be administered the anti-rabies vaccine.

"The children had dog bites on their faces. Family members said a dog attacked them without provocation," paediatrician T. Nandakumarsaid.

Vignesh got away with "superficial wounds" but four-year-old Kirthana and three-year-old Harish, who suffered deep lacerations, needed to be administered the human rabies immunoglobulin, which the hospital authorities found hard to procure.

"We got only one vial of immunoglobulin, which was bought by Kirthana's father from a shop on Poonamallee High Road. Even the alternative equine immunoglobulin was available only at select shops," Dr. Nandakumar said.

The same scene was repeated on May 27, when R. Kaleeswaran carried a bleeding Kavyameena, all of seven months, to the hospital.

"We were sitting near the Gandhi Silai on Friday evening when a dog suddenly came near my daughter and bit her on her face," Mr. Kaleeswaran said. Kavyameena was administered the vaccine but not the immunoglobulin.

According to the Superintendent of Government Royapettah Hospital, R. Thirunarayanan, it is advisable to administer both, particularly the immunoglobulin, if there are head, neck or hand injuries. "Immunoglobulin, especially the human variety, will have better results as the anti-rabies vaccine takes time to produce antibodies." However, Government dispensaries are yet to stock the immunoglobulin vials, which are costlier than the anti-rabies vaccine. Private dealers keep limited stock due to the price factor as well as the low demand, according to a Health Department official.

The Corporation officialssaid that stray dogs were being regularly captured, sterilised as per the Animal Birth Control Law, 2001 and given anti-rabies vaccination.

"Now, there is more awareness. Rabies deaths have come down from 120 in 1996 to 13 in 2003," a Corporation official said.

But Mr. Kaleeswaran is wary about making another trip to the Marina. "We go there with our children to escape the heat. But there are a lot of dogs out there," he said.

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