Rabies scare in Chitipa

Chitipa District Hospital has been hit hard by an influx of people bitten by stray dogs, a major cause for rabies.

Chitipa district health officer (DHO) Ted Bandawe confirmed that health workers at the hospital are treating no less than six cases of dog bites every day, but ruled out a possible outbreak of rabies.

Two people are said to have died of rabies, but Bandawe said no laboratory tests were conducted to confirm the cause of death.

“The cases are just too many in the out-patients department. Even the Veterinary Department had acknowledged an increase,” he said.

Bandawe’s office is still collecting information about the scare.

This puts into question the Veterinary Department’s efforts to vaccinate dogs and get rid of unchained ones.

“Hospitals are on the receiving end as the sure way to control dogs lies in the hands of the Veterinary Department. It is better to prevent rabies by giving a dog a vaccine that costs K5 000 than to treat human beings using a vaccine worth about K25 000,” Bandawe said.

Karonga District is also referring its cases to Chitipa due to lack of anti-rabies vaccine, he said.

“We have the vaccine, but it is not enough as people are still flocking to the hospital even with a small scratch,” he said.

Karonga DHO Phinias Mfune could neither deny nor confirm the situation as he was said to be away. n