Ensure adequacy of anti-rabies, anti-snake venom in PHCs: DPH

CHENNAI: The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine instructed the Deputy Director of Health Services to maintain a sufficient quantity of stock life saving drugs, anti-rabies vaccine and anti-snake Venom in the respective districts.

DPH stated that it is brought to the notice of the directorate, Anti Rabies Vaccine (ARV) - Anti Snake Venom (ASV) are not kept adequately in the Primary Health Centres and during the inspection of the programme and the inspection report has stated that in certain Primary Health Centres, there is no sufficient stock.

Highlighting the importance of these drugs to treat the affected persons without making any delay, the Deputy Director of Health Services have been instructed that no complaint/report should be received either from the public or by the inspecting officer in respect of non-availability of these drugs.

Therefore, all the Deputy Director of Health Services have been requested by the DPH to instruct the medical officers and the concerned persons to ensure the availability of sufficient quantity of Anti Rabies Vaccine (20 Vials) and Anti Snake Venom (10 Vials) in Primary Health Centres at any time.

All the Deputy Director of Health Services have also been asked to forward the treatment protocol for management of dog bite and snake bite to all the Primary Health Centres for the proper management of the cases.