Rabies Vaccine Shortage Looms Amid Rising Animal Bites in Nepal

Kathmandu. The Health Services Department, Management Division, sent 264,000 vials of anti-rabies vaccine to the health supply management centers of each province in the fiscal year 2081/82. More than 221,000 people were bitten by animals during that period. Although at least three vials of vaccine are required for one infected person, about 100,000 vials of vaccine are found to be insufficient.< p>

The affected people have not been able to get vaccinated on time due to the inability to supply according to demand every year and sometimes the vaccine being wasted. Daya Nidhi Pant, chief of the supply management branch under the Department of Health Services, said that vaccines are sent according to the demand of the provinces. He said, 'We also send vaccines to the local level as needed. Even if only one service recipient comes to the health institution, the vaccine vial has to be opened, which results in the remaining doses being wasted. That is why the vaccine appears to be insufficient.' He also said that there is a further problem due to the lack of sufficient budget allocation for vaccine procurement.< p>