The fear of stray dogs in the district's urban areas has grown to such an extent that people are living in panic. Despite Supreme Court orders, the process of moving dangerous dogs to shelter homes is slow, resulting in them frequently targeting residents. The statistics for the first five months of the current financial year are shocking, with 4,681 people falling victim to stray dog bites alone.

Worrying Statistics Of Animal Attacks

Records from the MMG District Hospital clearly show the severity of the problem:

The Last Five Months: In addition to stray dogs, 2,697 people were bitten by pet dogs, 1,614 by cats, and 1,519 by monkeys. In total, 10,725 people had to get anti-rabies shots.

Rise in August Cases: In August alone, 1,186 people were bitten by stray dogs, the highest monthly figure this year.

Year-on-Year Increasing Graph: In the last three and a half years, over 3.07 lakh people have been given the Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) after animal bites. Dog bite cases are also rising sharply, from 56,299 in 2022 to over 1.04 lakh in 2024.

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Burden On Health Services, Shortage Of Serum

The rising number of animal attacks is putting a direct strain on health services, leading to a shortage of the essential Anti-Rabies Serum (ARS), which is required for severe cases.

The hospital received 22 vials of the serum just three days ago, of which 10 have already been used. Before that, the stock of the regular Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) had run out 13 days prior.

Severely injured patients sometimes have to wait to get the serum, as was the case with Meenakshi Sharma and Sameer from Nandgram, who received it after a two-day wait.

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What Does The Hospital Administration Say?

Dr Rakesh Kumar Singh, the Chief Medical Superintendent of MMG District Hospital, stated, "Due to the increasing terror of dogs, the consumption of ARV and ARS has risen significantly. The 50 vials of serum received in August have all been used up. We have sent a demand for additional vials to the administration." He also informed that the vaccine is available for patients in the OPD from 8 am to 2 am and in the Emergency department 24/7.