Rabies vaccine crisis hits districts. Sukraraj Hospital also critically low on doses
Summary
District hospitals in Nepal are facing a critical shortage of rabies vaccine, forcing patients to seek treatment at Sukraraj Hospital in Kathmandu, which is also running low on doses. The supply crisis started in November and is unlikely to resolve soon, potentially leading to increased rabies deaths.
Key Points
- Over 500 people daily seek rabies vaccination at Kathmandu's Sukraraj Hospital due to shortages in district hospitals.
- Sukraraj Hospital has only a few hundred vaccine doses left, insufficient for a week of demand.
- The federal Ministry of Health has failed to supply vaccine doses for months, leading to reliance on provincial governments and private procurement.
- The WHO Nepal office is supplying 4,500 doses, which will last about three days; delays in vaccination could increase rabies deaths, especially among vulnerable populations.
