The rabies related death toll in Sindh for the year 2019 hit twenty at the beginning of the month of November. According to a report by Dawn, the death toll has increased over the years because there has been a shortage of anti-rabies vaccine. The shortage of qualified doctors and vaccination is not the only cause behind this raging epidemic. The lack of anti-stray dog campaign in Sindh and the sheer ignorance of the rising dog bite cases are some other factors.
Not only has the death toll has risen during 2019, the number of dog bite patients which hospitals all over Sindh are extremely concerning. According to a report by The Express Tribune, the total number of dog bites cases reported in major cities of the province such as Dadu are about to hit the 12000 marks.
In a city like Dadu which is not very far spread, 12000 dog bites in just a year shows the number of stray dogs that are roaming the roads of Sindh. Karachi was also not spared and the Indus hospital has reported a daily intake of about fifty dog bite cases since October.
Even though conditions are getting worse, the government has not been able to take any effective steps. It is thus important to take some preventive measures by yourself so that you can avoid dog bites amidst the worst shortage of ARV vaccine ever.
Here are a few tips to avoid dog bites
The first thing that you need to keep in mind is that stray dogs are dangerous animals and it is best if you maintain a safe distance from them. You should thus neither approach an unfamiliar dog and nor should you run from it if it approaches you. You should maintain a very still posture if a stray dog is approaching along with keeping as calm as you can.
Dogs are intelligent animals but they are still driven by some primal instincts. If you pet a dog when it is not able to see or sniff you, it can perceive it as a looming threat and its primal instinct to attack back can get triggered. You should also not disturb a dog which is eating, sleeping or looking after puppies. Even if it’s a pet dog, you should not let it play aggressively because dogs can get violent very quickly.
After following all these tips, if you do get bitten by a dog, you should head to a close by trauma center as soon as possible and get vaccinated immediately.
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This article was produced in partnership with oladoc, a digital health company in Pakistan. Using oladoc, you can find the best doctors in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and book an appointment online.
