A four-year-old died of rabies at home last week, but his death does not appear in government records
Summary
A four-year-old boy from Sindhuli died of rabies after being taken home from a Kathmandu hospital, but his death was not recorded in government data. Health officials say rabies cases in Nepal may be undercounted as vaccine shortages and data gaps leave many infections and deaths unreported.
Key Points
- A four-year-old boy from Sindhuli developed rabies symptoms and died after being sent home from Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Kathmandu.
- The death is missing from government records because only deaths in state-run health facilities are counted.
- Experts say Nepal’s rabies burden is likely underreported because many victims get vaccinated privately or deaths go unrecorded.
- Health authorities have faced shortages of anti-rabies vaccine, forcing some patients to travel to Kathmandu or pay out of pocket.
