Pakistan 'reports' over 7,957 dog-bite cases

ISLAMABAD: A shocking increase was reported in the number of dog bite cases as 7,957 cases were reported in one week across Pakistan, ARY News reported, citing National Institute of Health (NIH) sources.

According to sources, the increase in cases calls for prompt and urgent measures to address the stray dog population and ensure public safety.

In a concerning surge of dog bite cases, Punjab has emerged with the highest number of dog bite incidents, totaling 5,259 cases, sources added.

Sources revealed that Sindh reported 1,886 cases, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 635, Balochistan 110, Azad Kashmir 66 and Gilgit Baltistan reported a single case.

In a significant development, the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) in Karachi launched its own anti-rabies vaccine (ARV), namely DowRab, for the dog bites victims in Sindh.

READ: Dow university introduces Anti-Rabies vaccine

The reports indicated that around one million individuals in Pakistan are bitten by stray dogs every year, leading to an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 deaths from rabies.

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad, the country needs over 2 million doses of anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) on an annual basis, with a significant portion being imported from India.

Currently, Pakistan is grappling with a critical shortage of anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) attributed to pricing disputes.