Tamil Nadu Health Authorities Ensure 24/7 Access to Anti-Rabies Vaccine Amid Rising Cases
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Chennai, Jan 2 (NationPress) Amidst a growing number of dog bite incidents in Tamil Nadu, the state health department has instructed district and city health officials to guarantee the constant availability of the Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV).
In an official announcement, the Tamil Nadu Director of Public Health (DPH) emphasized that health officers must keep a minimum of 20 vials of ARV readily available at all times.
Officials have been directed to administer the vaccine for all dog bite cases without hesitation, irrespective of potential concerns about wastage.
Furthermore, there will be no tolerance for any refusal or denial of ARV administration, even during nighttime.
The state has experienced a concerning increase in rabies-related fatalities and dog bites in 2024, reporting 34 human deaths and 642,000 dog bite cases up to October—marking the highest figures in five years.
In contrast, the year 2023 saw 18 rabies fatalities and 441,000 dog bite cases.
Health department sources have indicated that updated statistics on rabies cases and deaths are currently being compiled.
Rabies continues to pose a significant public health threat, exhibiting a 100 percent fatality rate, in stark contrast to Tamil Nadu’s zero fatalities from diseases like malaria, chikungunya, scrub typhus, leptospirosis, and Japanese encephalitis in 2024.
The absence of reliable data regarding the dog population in various districts complicates the management of rabies.
Accurate population assessments are crucial for planning vaccination drives and sterilization surgeries under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) initiative.
Although districts like Chennai and Coimbatore have conducted dog population censuses, many others still lack this vital information.
Interestingly, the Nilgiris district has remained rabies-free for the past 15 years, thanks to persistent and vigorous vaccination campaigns.
Sundar Raj, an animal rights advocate in the Nilgiris, noted, “We conducted door-to-door vaccinations. Initial resistance was met, but we managed to persuade the community.”
He further stressed the necessity of testing dogs exhibiting rabies symptoms.
“A rabid dog typically bites several others before succumbing. These dogs can develop rabies within 2 to 15 days. If a rabid dog is not tested and ring vaccination is not performed, the virus will continue to spread,” he cautioned.
The DPH’s announcement also addressed the issue of snake bite cases within the state.
Tamil Nadu recorded 7,310 snake bite cases by June 2024, compared to 19,795 cases in 2023.
The health department instructed district officials to guarantee the accessibility of anti-snake venom (ASV) at all Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres.
A minimum stock of 10 vials of ASV should always be maintained.
ASV must be administered to all snake bite victims prior to referring them to tertiary care facilities.
The department specified that performing a test dose is unnecessary before administering ASV.
