A 51-year-old man died of rabies at Mayo Hospital in Lahore this week, prompting warnings about the growing risk of rabies in Lahore and dangerous delays in treating dog bites. The victim was bitten by a stray dog ​​a few days ago, after which he contracted the deadly virus and died in the hospital. Health experts say that the disease can be completely prevented with timely vaccine and proper treatment, but precious lives are being lost due to slowness of emergency protocols and delay in providing life-saving medicines in major government medical institutions of the city.

Serious cost of delay in timely treatment

Every passing moment is precious after an animal bite incident, but patients visiting Lahore's government hospitals often face long queues and administrative delays. In the case of a stray dog ​​bite, the wound should be washed immediately with soap and running water, and then a course of anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) and immunoglobulin should be started without delay. Unfortunately, due to administrative complications, non-availability of vaccine stocks in emergency wards and slowness, affected people miss out on timely treatment. This latest incident at Mayo Hospital is proof that municipal emergency departments have failed to prioritize the most extreme animal bite cases.

Increasing number of stray dogs

The city administration has been failing to take effective measures to control the growing population of stray dogs in residential areas for a long time. From narrow inner-city streets to newly populated housing projects, packs of unvaccinated dogs have become a daily threat to school children, pedestrians and motorcyclists. Municipalities periodically announce dog-killing campaigns or vaccination initiatives, but these efforts prove insufficient to ensure public safety. Citizens are fighting this threat with your help.

  • Immediately wash the wound with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes after any animal bite.
  • Immediately go to the nearest major hospital, like Mayo Hospital or Jinnah Hospital and report the incident
  • Insist that doctors administer the first dose of anti-rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin immediately if needed.
  • Don't waste precious time in a cycle of traditional tips, applying chili powder or home remedies

What should you do now?

If you or a loved one has been bitten or scratched by a stray dog, cat or other animal, treat it as an immediate medical emergency. Never wait for symptoms like fever, anxiety or fear of water to appear because once the symptoms of rabies appear, the disease is 100% fatal. Keep emergency helpline numbers handy, demand immediate supply of vaccines from government hospitals and report herds of aggressive stray animals to your nearest district municipal corporation office.

What to look forward to

Public health watchdogs are now reviewing whether the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department issues new SOPs or emergency stock audits for anti-rabies vaccines in teaching hospitals. Local governments are under increasing pressure to introduce transparent and district-wide vaccination campaigns to control the growing dog population to prevent more tragic accidents. Stay connected with Naya Pakistan for latest updates on municipal accountability and public health standards.