SHAIKH JAMALUDDIN | NT
PANAJI: Over 1,481 dog bite cases have been reported at the Panaji urban health centre this year till date with people of all ages, including toddlers and infants, being victims.
Health officer of the UHC Dr Atul Dilip Paibir said the victims include a six-month-old baby who had been bitten by a stray dog and received full a course of anti-rabies vaccine.
The victims also include two toddlers from Taleigao Kritesh Shirodkar and Declon Costa and an infant from Bambolim.
Now there has been better awareness among the people about dangers of dog bites and so most victims are brought for health checkups, while in some other states people die of dog/cat bites due to lack of awareness.
Treatment and vaccination for dog or cat bites is common. The rabies vaccine is administered in a series of five shots on day 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28.
People bitten by dogs should complete the course and not skip midway, Dr Paibir said, adding that there are three categories and a patient coming under the third category is administered immunoglobin in addition to all the five vaccines. The immunoglobin vaccine is not available with the centre so whenever such cases are detected the dog bite victims are referred to the Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim while for two other cases they prescribe only anti-rabies vaccines. Dr Paibir pointed out that this vaccine has to be taken within 72 hours of dog bite/cat bite adding earlier the better it is. A person bitten by a dog should immediately wash the wound with soap and water and rush to the urban health centre or any nearby hospital as a precautionary measure.
Many dog bite cases are referred to the centre for subsequent doses by the GMC after administering of the first dose, Dr Paibir said.