Karachi: Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah has said that the provincial government, in collaboration with Indus Hospital, has strengthened rabies prevention and treatment services across Sindh, establishing and upgrading 278 units, activating referral centres and introducing telemedicine services for rabies cases.
Addressing a ceremony on rabies at Indus Hospital, he said the longstanding problem of stray dogs required sustained attention. He added that he had also worked to address the issue during his tenures as Commissioner Karachi and Commissioner Hyderabad, while greater public awareness was essential to encourage people to seek medical care after a dog bite.
Secretary Health Tahir Sangi, Dr Abdul Bari of Indus Hospital and others attended the ceremony. The Chief Secretary said the Sindh Government had begun working with Indus Hospital to improve the management of rabies cases and address gaps in treatment facilities.
Many hospitals previously needed better capacity to handle such cases, he said,
adding that the collaboration had helped upgrade facilities and strengthen the provincial treatment network.
He said 278 rabies prevention and treatment units had been established and upgraded across the province, with referral centres also operational to support patient care.Telemedicine services had been introduced in partnership with Indus Hospital as part of the efforts to improve the management of rabies cases.
Shah emphasised that awareness remained an essential part of prevention. He said campaigns had been conducted through the media and social media to inform the public about rabies and the need to take dog bites seriously.
‘These awareness efforts have encouraged people to take dog bites seriously and seek treatment at hospitals,’ he said.
The Chief Secretary said Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah had ensured the provision of budget for medicines required to prevent rabies. Vaccines were being provided to dog-bite patients, while the reporting of cases and monitoring of treatment had also
been strengthened.
He said every case was now being reported and tracked, enabling the authorities to monitor patients’ treatment. People could call Rescue 1122 to obtain information about their nearest rabies centre, he added.
Shah also stressed accountability in the provision of treatment. He said that doctors had been removed over negligence in handling rabies patients, while district administrations were also being asked to account for their response to such cases.
He said that improving treatment facilities, maintaining oversight and expanding public awareness were central to the government’s efforts against rabies.