Rabies threat looms large in Dachan villages

10 villagers, 40 cattle head bitten by mad dogs; Administration expresses ignorance
Kishtwar: At least ten villagers and around fourty cattle heads were injured after being bitten by mad dogs, which have reportedly created havoc in some village of remote Dachan area of Kishtwar district. Though the residents said that they fear spread of rabbies in the area in the absence of any medicare facilities, district administration expressed its ignorance about any such incident.
Reports reaching here revealed that mad dogs have created panic among the local residents in some villages of Dachan. “At least ten villagers and fourty cattle heads have so far beaten by the dogs at Suied and Panjdhara hamlets”, Ghulam Nabi, a local resident of the area told The Bold Voice over phone. He said that the locals have now taken the recourse of killing the dogs but the victims were waiting for any medical help from the local administration.
Confirming the incidents another villager said that the victim have not taken any medical help so far as none was available in the area. “There is also no way to bring the victims to Kishtwar”, he added.
The district administration, however, expressed ignorance about any such incident. “I have no knowledge of any such incident in Dachan area”, Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar GR Bhagat said when contacted. He, however, added that all necessary step would be taken in case any such incident is reported.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kishtwar Dr Subhash Bhagat also said that the concerned BMO has not so far reported any such incident. He said that even otherwise in case of dog bites a victim has to purchase Anti Rabies Vaccine (ARV) from the market as the government does not provide the vaccine free of cost to the victims.
If the locals have to be believed there is every likelihood of on spread of rabies in the area in the absence of anti rabies vaccine. “Poor victims cannot afford to buy anti-rabies vaccine because one injection cost around 350 rupees and the person who has bitten by a mad dog has to take a cource of seven injections”, Ghualm Abbas, another local resident said.